ROCHESTER, N.Y. – News10NBC continued its investigation into the abrupt closure of Family Service of Rochester, a nonprofit that provided support services to help seniors live independently. The closure forced seniors to move out of their apartments, raising questions about the sale of the Northfield apartment complex.
“Save our home,” chanted seniors at a sidewalk sit-in. They were residents of The Northfield who were told they had to vacate by July 25.
“I feel weak. I don’t know what to do,” said Janice Bell, a Northfield resident.
About 40 seniors are being forced out because Family Service of Rochester is broke and selling the Northfield complex to another nonprofit, CDS Monarch. The Monroe County Legislature authorized $600,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to help CDS Monarch buy and rehabilitate the building into supportive housing.
“We voted to give $600,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to CDS Monarch to acquire the building and rehabilitate it into supportive housing,” said Monroe County Legislator, Rachel Barnhart.
Barnhart said the sale and timing raise questions.
“We knew that Family Service was struggling when we voted to give CDS Monarch this funding,” said Barnhart. “But our question now is did our vote trigger residents having to leave or was that the plan all along? And if it was the plan all along, why wasn’t the legislature told, and why weren’t the families told?”
News10NBC’s Deanna Dewberry reached out to CDS Monarch and Family Service of Rochester leaders, but neither returned calls or emails. Family Service did provide a statement explaining that the rent, averaging just over $1,400 a month wasn’t enough to cover expenses.
“The collected rents must pay for all building costs, at least one meal a day, medicine management, housekeeping, transportation, and social activities—all of which are mandated by the NYS Dept. of Health as part of licensed enriched and assisted living programs. The costs of all these services, plus staffing costs to facilitate the programs, have increased over the past several years. As a result, the rents paid by the residents no longer cover the costs of these services,” Family Service said in an emailed statement.
Gev Sweeney, a Northfield resident, expressed frustration and said she believes the Board of Family Service should be held accountable. “I would like to see them prohibited from sitting on the board of a nonprofit that handles housing,” said Sweeney.
The process for CDS to apply for ARPA funding takes months, raising questions about the timeline of these plans. And why weren’t residents given the option of applying for CDC Monarch’s new senior housing program? News10 NBC investigators will continue seeking answers.
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