Family Eldercare Breaks Ground on New Senior Housing Community

Austin,Texas: Family Eldercare, State and City officials gathered today to break ground on a new 54-unit, S.M.A.R.T.Housing^TM, senior, community, Lyons Gardens. Lyons Gardens will offer independent seniors a fully accessible community that integrates housing and social services for older adults to "age in place".

According to a recent study, Aging Services Environmental Scan 2000, the number one unmet need and area of concern for older adults was the ability to afford housing. With rising living costs in Austin, seniors and disabled adults are forced to choose between housing and essential necessities like food, medicine and clothing. This study drove Family Eldercare's decision to become involved in housing opportunities for low-income seniors.

"The Senior Housing Community was conceived to put into action our vision that older adults and the disabled should live independently in a community with support services, dignity and respect," said Mark Davis, Chair of the Senior Housing Community Housing Development Organization and President-Elect of Family Eldercare.

Dorothy Shay Parsons, a Family Eldercare benefactor, donated the 2.63 acres of land for the development. Additional funding has been made possible through $3.2 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a $500,000 Federal Home Loan Grant, $800,000 from the City of Austin, $500,000 from the Morton & Angela Topfer Family Foundation, The Meadows and Mabee Foundations.

"By leveraging public and private funding we are able to build a beautiful and affordable senior housing community that will honor our elderly," said Dusty McCormick, Vice Chair of the Senior Housing Community Housing Development Organization and Family Eldercare. "By HUD's standards, this project has been on the fast track and has attracted several benefactors and 'angels' to make this project a reality," he said.

The units will be available to households with at least one member who is 62 years of age or older with incomes that are at, or below, 50 percent of the Austin Median Family Income (about $24,900 for one person.) Residents will not pay more than 30 percent of their income on rent and utilities. The property is located at the corner of Webberville Road and Pleasant Valley and is conveniently nearby grocery stores, Capitol Metro bus stops, the Rosewood-Zaragosa Medical Center and the Conley-Guerrero Senior Center. Completion on the development is scheduled for early 2004.

Family Eldercare is a nonprofit organization that provides critical and essential services to the elderly, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers. For additional information on Lyons Gardens or other Family Eldercare programs, call (512) 483-3551 or visit www.familyeldercare.org.

The Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Office's mission is to provide housing, community development, and small business development services to benefit residents so they can have access to livable neighborhoods and increase their opportunities for self-sufficiency.

The Austin Housing Finance Corporation was created in 1979 and assists Austin citizens with first-time homebuyer and home repair programs. The AHFC's primary mission is to generate and implement strategic housing finance solutions to benefit low-and moderate-income residents of the City of Austin.

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 974-3100 (voice) or 974-3102 (TDD) for assistance. This project is made possible by funding from HUD through the City of Austin.

CONTACT: Brenda Ham, (512) 974-3175 (voice) or (512) 802-7105 (pager)