NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

1. NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND Neville Place 650 Concord Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138 71 Mixed-income Assisted Living Units Partners: Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA) Neville Community Partners Massachusetts Group Adult Foster Care and PACE programs

2. BACKGROUND • In 1996, Cambridge HA was seeking ways to assist its increasing frail elderly population • At the same time, the City released an RFP to redevelop a city-owned nursing home • CHA proposed to redevelop the property into mixed-income Assisted Living facility • Awarded contract in 1997 • Opened facility in 2001 CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

3. DESIGN • Licensed Assisted Living facility • 57 low-income units and 14 market rate units • Services for low-income units paid for by the State’s Medicaid Waiver programs • Services offered: daily meals, 24 hour on-site personal care and assistance with ADLs • Extensive amenities: walking paths, common spaces, outside patio/dining area and beauty parlor CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

4. DESIGN (Continued) CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

5. DESIGN (Continued) • Medicaid and Section 8 assistance averages $2,000 per unit • Low income residents with Medicaid pay approximately $200 - $300 in rent • Low income residents without Medicaid pay approximately $1,200 - $1,300 in rent CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

6. PROCESS • In 1996,Cambridge Public Health Commission issued RFP to redevelop city-owned nursing home • CHA assembled a development team and responded to RFP • Upon bid award (1997) CHA solicited for financing: tax credits and other types of affordable housing financing • Service provider obtained Medicaid waiver subsidy • Began construction in 2000 and applied for ALF license • Construction and licensing process complete in 2001 CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

7. PROCESS (Continued) CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

8. PROCESS (Continued) $173,200 per unit CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

9. MANAGEMENT / MARKETING • Staffing and Management: • Managed by Senior Living Residences, an experienced Assisted Living service provider • The facility has a director, social worker, activities director, 24-hour caregiver staff, part-time nurse, receptionist/office staff, maintenance staff and subcontracts with a food service provider • CHA oversees the Manager/Service Provider with one FTE position responsible for Neville Place and other development ventures CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

10. MANAGEMENT / MARKETING (Continued) • Marketing: • Location, Location, Location • Referrals from public housing managers and service • coordinators CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

11. CHALLENGES/FAILURES/LESSONS LEARNED • All public housing authorities are challenged to provide a continuum of care to low income persons • Income threshold for Medicaid disqualifies many low-income households who cannot afford the facility without a service subsidy • Affordable Assisted Living development is complicated and ongoing monitoring is substantial • Partnering with an experienced service provider is a must CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

12. ACCOMPLISHMENTS/SUCCESSES/HIGHLIGHTS • Ability to provide affordable Assisted Living in a mixed-income setting. • MTW program enabled CHA to develop Neville Place through project based section 8 vouchers and fungibility of agency funds CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND

13. SUMMATION • Model for PHAs wishing to expand current housing stock or role as an affordable housing resource • Layering project-based Section 8 with other capital subsidies enables the development of affordable ALFs. • Lessons learned from this model may be applied to other HUD initiatives and the conversion of public housing into affordable assisted living. CAMBRIDGE, MA NEVILLE PLACE AT FRESH POND