23rd Annual Supportive Housing Awards
Supportive Housing Hero Leadership Awards
Carolyn Ford
Carolyn Ford is a Housing Counselor working with Oaks Integrated Care who has shown exemplary dedication to her clients for the past 31 years.
During her tenure, Carolyn has been steadfast in her help managing logistics for clients, such as supporting medical needs at all hours and being a reassuring presence. She also also fostered a vibrant community through activities and trips and has remained an unshakable advocate for her clients working with landlords, providers, and other stakeholders. Carolyn is a great mentor to her team and shares her wisdom to support her colleagues.
With a track record of such caliber, and commitment through the challenges of last year, SHA recognizes Carolyn as a 2021 Housing Hero.
Ahmed J. Taylor
Ahmed J. Taylor has worked with SERV Properties and Management as the Senior Vice-President overseeing development and management of SERV's properties housing a wide range of clients and needs.
During the past year, Ahmed has put the safety of clients at the forefront including traveling in snow storms to restore power, procuring PPE, and delivering supplies to homes with COVID-positive residents. Developing and managing housing can be a challenge even in times before 2020, but Ahmed has shown he has the energy to support his community of residents across the variety of properties that he serves. He has truly gone above and beyond in the care of residents to provide a safe and comfortable place to call home.
This display of leadership has earned Ahmed our recognition as one of 2021's Housing Heroes.
Supportive Housing Projects of the Year
St. Paul the Apostle
Senior Housing
Edison, New Jersey
The St. Paul the Apostle housing project is a new construction by Domus Corporation and Metuchen Community Services of 42 affordable apartments for independent senior citizens with low incomes in Edison, New Jersey. All 42 units in the St. Paul The Apostle Senior Housing project will be reserved for persons 62 years of age or older with low incomes.
Of the 42 units in the project, 11 units are reserved for seniors who are homeless, including 9 accessible units for seniors who are both homeless and physically or mentally disabled.
Project partners included:
Domus Corporation, MidAtlantic Engineering Partners, LLC, Costanza Builders of NJ, Inc., Metuchen Community Services Corporation, Steven S. Cohen, Architect, MidAtlantic Engineering Partners, LLC, CPC, Edison Township, Middlesex County, TD Bank, as well as the following SHA Members: Enterprise Community Partners, Monarch Housing Associates, NJHMFA, and FHLBNY.
The Pinnacle
Fort Lee, New Jersey
The Pinnacle fills a unique need in supportive housing that is often not able to be achieved: affordable supported independent apartments and DDD-licensed group homes in one of the densest urban locations in New Jersey.
The Pinnacle is a new construction luxury high rise in New Jersey that also incorporates DDD-licensed group home living spaces. These units are in a fully-integrated setting where more than 50% of the units are affordable, and indistinguishable from the market-rate units in the same building.
Project partners included:
Waterside Construction as well as the following SHA Members: NJHMFA, Kitchen & Associates, and PennReach.