Camden, NJ
Number of Units: 16
Type of Residence: HUD Section 202/Section 8
Major Achievement: Gave disabled residents a sense of empowerment and ownership over the facility through community activities, meetings, support networks, and gardens.
CRM first became involved with the property in 1995 and has since provided opportunities for community growth, empowerment, and support through services and activities for their disabled and physically impaired residents. As a small 16 unit property, the community provides comfortable and affordable housing for low income individuals who are living with disabilities.
CRM, with the help of on-site staff, upgraded the property by improving buildings, installing new carpets in common areas, painting interior walls, and providing remote-controlled air conditioners and water-saving devices for every apartment. In addition to advances in comfort, CRM also created a small community room in which the management holds quarterly meetings with residents to discuss upcoming events, improvements, concerns, and reviews emergency training and drills. These meetings also give residents the opportunity to network and help one another find services and professionals within their community where they can find assistance. As a result, residents are becoming more aware of programs for people with disabilities and how to qualify for these different programs.
The on-site management has increased interaction with residents, too, assisting them with daily tasks and maintaining an open-door policy to discuss any concerns or problems that residents may have. The management also gives out surveys to the residents asking for feedback on how to make their lives more enjoyable.
One of the most impressive and important features of the property is the community flower garden. All of the residents are encouraged to help plant and maintain the flower beds and the staff provides equipment for even the wheelchair-bound individuals to participate in garden activities. As a result, the residents have developed a sense of ownership over the property and are thrilled with their success. Consequently, CRM and the staff are hoping to create a vegetable garden in which the residents can plant, tend and harvest vegetables to share within the community.
By empowering residents, providing them with improved facilities and a sense of ownership over the property, CRM and the staff have created a thriving and supportive community for disabled individuals.
