Providing Housing To Those In Need—

The St Joseph Project Seeks Support

By Nancy K. Crevier

For more than a year, a small group has met in Newtown with the vision of providing housing to low-income Newtown residents who, because of varied, unexpected circumstances, find themselves on the verge of homelessness. This group calls itself The St Joseph Project.

Committee members Bernie and Mary Curran, Carol Gaulin McKenzie, Joanne Davis, Kevin and Queta Donovan, Marietta Sonido, the Rev Robert Weiss, Rose Mary Cavanaugh, and Teresa Chesler are willing to coordinate available resources to provide temporary housing.

The group envisions rehabilitating homes in Newtown that it either purchases or that are donated to the cause. People between the ages of 35 and 55, and their families who can demonstrate a need, would be eligible to live in these homes temporarily (one to two years) at affordable rents until they are back on their feet.

The St Joseph Project plans to model itself loosely after Nunnawauk Meadows, which provides low-rent elderly housing on Nunnawauk Road. Nunnawauk Meadows was started in 1968 by church leaders in Newtown frustrated by the lack of housing for elderly residents of the town, according to Nunnawauk Meadows director Frank DeLucia. Individuals from the churches and community then formed the Newtown Housing for the Elderly, a nonprofit organization that has successfully operated Nunnawauk Meadows since that time. Nunnawauk Meadows, however, houses only those 62 years of age or older, or people with disabilities.

The St Joseph Project hopes to fill a housing gap they see, that of younger residents who want to stay in the community, but are finding it increasingly difficult to do so. Says Ms Gaulin McKenzie, “If we had the houses, we could service at least five people right now without even looking.”

Members of the group have been individually approached by desperate individuals and families, or have been made aware of dire circumstances through happenstance. “Some of these people are tongue-in-groove trying to make ends meet,” Ms Gaulin McKenzie goes on to say. “They have lost jobs, have encountered unexpected illness and big medical bills, some are divorced, some are single parents. They are in situations nobody expected to be in.”

Restoring the dignity of people and providing decent housing at minimum cost is part of the mission of The St Joseph Project, but before it can get to that point, the group has smaller goals it hopes to accomplish, with the help of other community members. The group, which is made up of members of St Rose of Lima parish, wants to involve other members of the Newtown faith community. “We are interested in additional committee members,” says Ms Donovan. “We meet just one time a month, the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 7 pm, at 38 Church Hill Road.” Individuals who can help shape the group and further define its goals are needed.

Most importantly, before its ultimate goal of providing housing can be realized, the group needs funding. Says Ms Donovan, “We need benefactors; we need land, housing, money, time, and talent donated.”

With funding, the group would be able to achieve another of its goals, which is to help subsidize elderly Newtown residents who cannot afford to go to Nunnawauk Meadows. Admittance to Nunnawauk Meadows is based on income. Rent there is 30 percent of an applicant’s adjusted income. First priority is given to those who fall into the “very low” classification, says Mr DeLucia. “Nunnawauk Meadows has rental assistance for very low income, but only for about 60 percent.” Once the number of residents at Nunnawauk using the assistance program is surpassed, a prospective resident must be able to pay the rent based on the 30 percent adjusted income rate on their own. Sometimes this means that very low-income applicants are bypassed for low- or moderate-income applicants, as the very low cannot afford even the adjusted income rent without subsidization. This is where funding from an outside group, such as The St Joseph Project, could come in handy.

“It would be nice if there was a fund to supplement the others [very low income applicants] who apply beyond that 60 percent who receive rental assistance,” Mr DeLucia says.

“Funding could also subsidize housing where they [the needy] are right now,” Ms Gaulin McKenzie says.

The group has more than enough faith to move mountains. But the right benefactors and further involvement from the community at large and other faith communities, they believe, would enable them to move whole mountain ranges.

Interested parties can contact Queta Donovan at 426-2153.