Affordable senior housing project named after Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s mother opens in Soundview – Bronx Times

About a hundred guests gathered June 11 at 1001 Thieriot Avenue to celebrate the inauguration of an all-electric affordable housing residence for seniors called Casa Celina, named after Celina Báez, the mother of the judge of the Supreme Court and Bronx native Sonia Sotomayor. The judge grew up next door in the NYCHA building formerly called Bronxdale Houses that now bears her name.

“If we do anything in this world, we have to make sure we support our seniors,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, who said Casa Celina is a place where seniors can live “in dignity and joy.

The state’s 65-plus population “is booming” at 3.5 million, equivalent to the population of 21 states, according to a 2023 report from the Center for an Urban Future. And Bronx County has the state’s highest poverty rates among seniors.

Casa Celina will provide some of the city’s poorest seniors with access to permanent housing. Of the 204 units, 62 (30%) are reserved for people coming from homeless shelters, and the building as a whole is intended for extremely low or low-income residents. To qualify, the head of household must be 62 years of age or older and earn an income below the limit of 50% of the area median income (AMI).

But the building’s open, bright design stems from the idea that affordable housing should be both “beautiful and inclusive,” architect Fernando Villa told the crowd.

The pale gray brick tower was built around community interaction and development. Each floor has a lounge area and other common areas include a fitness room, laundry room and an upcoming library donated by Sotomayor following his visit to the site in April.

Residents also have stunning views from the 16th floor rooftop terrace, which could easily pass for a trendy Manhattan bar. The spacious patio, furnished with tables and chairs, leafy plants and a large area of ​​soft faux grass, stunned guests.

Unsurprisingly, demand for this residence was sky-high. According to Donald Manning, executive director of real estate and management of JASA Housing, which was one of the developers of the project and is now the manager of the building, as many as 50,000 people participated in the lottery housing for Casa Celina. JASA expects the building to be fully leased by September or October.

“We’re proud to be a part of this,” Manning said — but he also said the high demand for Casa Celina highlights the desperate need for more options like this throughout the city.

“These homes will transform people’s lives,” said Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr.. But he added that even with billions invested in affordable housing for the next decade, “it’s still not enough.”

“Independent but not alone”

Seniors living at Casa Celina can find support services directly in the building, which is especially essential for those coming from homeless shelters.

Residents and community members can take advantage of on-site services managed by the JASA East Bronx Case Management Program. The building houses a community center on the ground floor to provide health and wellbeing support to residents and neighbors. Resident activities such as chair yoga, bingo and shopping trips are also planned.

In the new residence, “everything from the doorknobs to the showers was carefully placed,” with the needs of seniors in mind, said Kathryn Haslanger, CEO of JASA Housing. The community-centered design allows residents to be “independent but not alone,” Haslanger said.

Elected officials in the crowd, who have supported the project since its inception in 2017, said seniors truly need and deserve the sense of community they find at Casa Celina.

Council member and Majority Leader Amanda Farías, who grew up in Soundview, described caring for her grandparents, who lived at home and had difficulty getting around the community. They probably would have thrived if more places like Casa Celina had existed in their day, she said.

Farías called the building “the physical embodiment of aging in place with dignity” – and joked during a tour: “When can I move in?”

Moved to tears

In creating more housing, Manning said nonprofit and for-profit partnerships — like those that made Casa Celina possible — should be a larger part of the city’s solution.

“Good organizations build good teams,” he said.

Casa Celina means more to residents than just a place to live, according to Dahiana Recio, director of housing risk management at JASA.

She told the Bronx Times that when seniors come to visit the apartments, they are often moved to tears. Even though some are used to living in larger apartments, the feeling of community and support is invaluable.

“It’s not just an apartment and you’re on your own,” Recio said.

Contact Emily Swanson at [email protected] or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes