Florida Catholic | New Building Fills Need For Affordable Housing

New building fills need for affordable housing

Catholic Health Services dedicates its 14th apartment complex for low-income elderly.

ANA RODRIGUEZ–SOTO | FLORIDA CATHOLIC MIAMI BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 05.21.08

Archbishop John C. Favalora, accompanied by Tere Spring, left, administrator of Catholic Housing Management for Catholic Health Services, and Blanca Albelo, St. Vincent de Paul Gardens’ manager, cuts the ribbon during the blessing ceremony for the archdiocese’s newest apartment building for low–income elderly.
ANA RODRIGUEZ–SOTO | FC

I’m so very proud that we are putting up affordable housing for people in our diocese.”
— Archbishop John C. Favalora

MIAMI | Some were homeless, literally living on the street. Others are trying to survive on as little as $295 a month in disability payments. All are 62 years or older.

Those are the people who began moving into St. Vincent de Paul Gardens last November. On May 6, Archbishop John C. Favalora blessed the archdiocese’s newest low-income housing facility for the elderly, the 14th to be built in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

“You blessed the building by your presence here, and now I’m coming to confirm your blessing,” the archbishop told residents gathered outside the main entrance for the dedication ceremony.

St. Vincent de Paul Gardens houses 120 residents in 102 apartments. It is at 10190 N.W. 19 Ave., behind St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Miami. The building is maintained and managed by the Archdiocese of Miami’s Catholic Health Services, with the federal government subsidizing up to 70 percent of residents’ monthly rent payments.

About 2,500 residents are served at the archdiocese’s 14 apartment complexes and they pay $150 a month on average, said Joe Catania, president and chief executive officer of Catholic Health Services.

www.catholichealthservices.org or call 954-484-1515.

Like all the other low-income housing facilities in the archdiocese, St. Vincent de Paul Gardens is full. More than 250 people are on the waiting list, according to assistant manager Celsa Baez. Other archdiocesan apartment complexes have closed their waiting lists because they stretched to more than 1,000 people.

“It was full one year ago before we even got the building,” said St. Vincent de Paul Gardens manager Blanca Albelo.

“I’m so very proud that we are putting up affordable housing for people in our diocese,” Archbishop Favalora said. “The city and the county need to do more for people in this area. I’m happy that we are doing the Lord’s work when we do this.”

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