The 2nd Annual Conference on Supportive Housing, held on December 8, 2000, was a wonderful success - over 250 housing administrators, consumers, and staff gathered at the Holiday Inn in Jamesburg to hear speakers, take workshops and trainings, and to share their supportive housing experience. From Ann O'Hara's keynote address to the poolside reception, everything set the stage for a productive year ahead for supportive housing advocates in New Jersey.

Wendy Trull, Pam McCrory, Nancy Ignall McGraw, Rudy Bryant, and Asish Patel reunited at the conference. Mr. Bryant of Pratt coordinated the Pratt Community Development Internship program. 

The morning began with a welcome and keynote address by Ann O'Hara, the Associate Director of the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) and editor of their newsletter Opening Doors. Various all-day trainings and workshops were offered, which explored various aspects of supportive housing, including technical, legal, and social challenges faced by housing providers and tenants. The all-day trainings included The Art of the Deal, an overview of supportive housing development, and Journey to Independence, which covered the basics and intricacies in providing support services. 

Morning workshops included Olmstead vs. LC, What Supportive Housing Has Meant to Us, Scattered Site Models That Work, Risk Avoidance, and Licensure of Mainstream Community Housing.

Licensure of Mainstream Community Housing provided a lively debate over licensing pros and cons, exploring the legal and personal ramifications from perspective of the government, provider agency, and the resident.

Meyer Pincelli., Program Program Administrator
 at the Department of Community Affairs, presents
an award  to Etta Denk, Vice President of
 The Chase Manhattan Bank

The conference broke at 12:30 for lunch and the awards presentations. Luncheon speakers included Michael Allen, Senior Staff Attorney at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and Deborah DeSantis, Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency - both addressed the attendees on the current state of housing for people with disabilities in New Jersey and on strategies for building for the future.

Kimberly Murray, left, a supportive housing tenant,
 accepts  the CSH Julie Sandorf Award from
 Liza Nolan,  Program Director of CSH in New Jersey.

Meyer Pincelli, the Administrator of the Office of Housing Advocacy at DCA presented Etta Denk of Chase Manhattan Bank with the Funder of the Year Award for her work in providing funding for New Jersey housing. Kimberly Murray  received the first Corporation for Supportive Housing Julie Sandorf Award, given to a housing tenant whose accomplishments demonstrate the success of the supportive housing model.

The Individual from a Nonprofit Agency award was presented to Richard Brown, Executive Director of Monarch Associates, for his years of dedication to helping nonprofit housing agencies to find and fund affordable housing in New Jersey.

Mayor David G. Baker, Jr., Council President Carol Jones, and Borough Clerk Annette Maida-Smith of Lincoln Park were presented with the Distinguished Service Award for a Municipality for their support of consumer housing in their town, despite public fear and disapproval.

The award was presented by NJ Department of Community Affairs' Commissioner Michelle Guhl, who praised the Lincoln Park officials for their victory over NIMBYism and for providing an excellent example for other townships to follow.

Richard Brown, Executive Directory of Monarch
 Associates, is surprised with the Individual from a
Nonprofit Agency Award at the conference luncheon

Bob Parker, Executive Director of NewBridge Services, stands between Lincoln Park
 Borough's Mayor, David G. Baker, Jr.,
 and the Council President Carol Jones

The latter workshop was led by three active SHA members Peggy Swarbrick of CSP-NJ, Patti Holland of UMDNJ and SHA trainer, and Mary Rossettini of Vantage Health. All three are on the SHA Outcomes Committee, which works to provide measurable outcomes on the success of supportive housing.

The conference wrapped up at 4:00 with a pool-side reception with hors d'oeuvres and drinks-a relaxing and well-deserved break from a productive day.

SHA and CSH thank the sponsors who made the conference possible: the Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the National Equity Fund, the NJ Department of Human Services, the Local Initiative Support Corporation, and the NJ Division of Mental Health Services.