It's move-in time at our newest residence in the Bronx! The two-wing 80-room eco-friendly building began welcoming tenants to their new home this past December.
 

The west wing, Fletcher Residence, is home to 55 mentally-ill men and women in their own studio apartments. Patricia (pictured above) was one of the first tenants to move in: "I love living here. I prayed for a place to live by Christmas and lo and behold on December 20th I moved in!"  

"They are thrilled," said Program Manager Peter Bazeley of the new tenants. "We have 13 admitted since December 20th and interviews are going on right now. We have stacks of applications, about ten applications for every opening."

Patricia is enjoying her apartment's many amenities, but more than anything, she is grateful for something that anyone else might take for granted..."It's such a blessing to own a key to my own home. Having a key means everything after you've been homeless."

The east wing, Renewal House, serves 50 men recovering from alcohol and/or substance abuse while gaining work experience at the Times Square Business Improvement District. 16 men have already moved in, including Luis and Paul, "We came on December 27th. The rooms are very good, comfortable. You have your own bathroom and everything is brand new."

The new men are already settling in says Dewett Wilson, the Program Director for Substance Abuse. (pictured from left with Paul and Luis.) "We have one who has taken on the role of the cook. He cooks for the men and they eat upstairs together. He asked some of the guys to help him so they rotate. They really help each other out. It's going well."

"I've been here three weeks," said Luis, "I'm learning more and saving money. It's good. I love it."

The Daily News Jan. 22nd article showcased the "tragedy" of the $800 million in state funding cuts over the last two years that has drastically curtailed social programs. The Human Services Council reported that the cuts resulted in not only the loss of 27,000 human services jobs, but also affected the people relying upon these services, including homeless New Yorkers.

Project Renewal Deputy Director Mark Hurwitz spoke to the Daily News about the need to invest in permanent solutions for homelessness. "Between the hardships our clients are experiencing as a result of the economic crisis and the funding cuts, things have become much worse. Last year we moved 453 shelter residents to permanent homes and if it were not for the cuts in rental assistance programs we would have moved many more. We are hopeful there will be cooperation between the city and the state to help move people out of homelessness. What really should be done is to invest in permanent solutions." Read the full article here.