By Mark D. Olshan

On Aug. 22nd, the B’nai B’rith International Center for Senior Services held a ribbon-cutting and rededication ceremony to unveil the renovations recently completed at the Adelstein Family Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House in the Bronx.  Opened in 1992, the project was initially funded under the Section 202/Section 8 program and recently underwent a massive re-capitalization and rehabilitation funded through the sale of tax-exempt bonds issued by the New York State House Finance Agency under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.

Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, B’nai B’rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin stated, “In today’s economic climate, the ability to preserve and rehabilitate safe, supportive housing for low-income seniors is paramount in being able to provide for the next generation of income–qualified seniors.  B’nai B’rith is pleased to have been involved in the complete update of this property.”

Residents are excited to be living in what are basically brand-new apartments.  We’ve provided completely new bathrooms, with new toilets and tubs; new kitchen cabinets, counters and appliances; and all-new lighting and painting throughout.  Additionally, all life and safety systems have been updated to state-of-the art systems, including security cameras throughout.  Last, but certainly not least, was the installation of brand-new air conditioner units in the bedrooms and living rooms of each apartment in the property.  Needless to say, residents are extremely happy with their brand-new facility!

Additionally, financial resources have been set aside to fund a host of specific supportive and social services not previously available through the streamlined budget.  Through partnerships with local service provider organizations, for the first time, residents have access to referrals to community resources, supportive listening and casework services, as well as a host of new classes, workshops, events and activities!
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Marty Adelstein delivered this statement on behalf of his siblings, Sherry and Alan Adelstein: “The Adelstein Family is honored and takes great pride in the redevelopment of this property.  Over 40 years ago, our father, Bernie Adelstein, was the founder and pioneer of this wonderful example of perseverance through government bureaucracy to ultimately realize his commitment to establish affordable housing for senior citizens.  On behalf of the Adelstein Family, we are grateful to our partners, B’nai B’rith and Connolly and Partners, LLC for their support and commitment to provide and improve quality affordable housing to the senior citizens who are living in the Bronx building.”

​By Marvin Siflinger
 
It’s an exciting time for the B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services. Recently, on behalf of B’nai B’rith, myself, Dan Mariaschin and Mark Olshan attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at Adelstein Family-Project H.O.P.E. B’nai B’rith House.  This ceremony highlighted a complete renovation of the building allowing the property to be maintained for the next generation.  The redevelopment of Project H.O.P.E. is an excellent example of a true public/private/non-profit partnership all working together to enhance the quality of life of our cherished senior citizens.  

In addition, we are proud to report that B’nai B’rith Housing of New England received a funding award from Governor Charlie Baker on behalf of the state of Massachusetts to build “The Senior Residences at the Machon” in Swampscott, which will feature 38 units. Like our other buildings, this property will have a wide variety of amenities including an on-site resident service coordinator, library and gym.    

This property would not have been possible without the use of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).  As you may have heard me mention before, the LIHTC is our most vital tool for building more affordable housing and modernizing our existing stock.

Our efforts don’t just stop in Massachusetts.  We have been in contact with several B’nai B’rith communities around the country, including Atlanta, Seattle and Arizona, to build additional low-income housing or rehabilitate existing buildings.  As always, I encourage everyone to evaluate their capital needs and determine if rehabilitation or re-financing is appropriate.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mark and the rest of the CSS team in Washington D.C. to help with these efforts.  They made an immeasurable difference for Project H.O.P.E. in the Bronx, and the ribbon cutting ceremony would not have been possible without their efforts.  We hope other B’nai B’rith buildings will reach out to CSS to achieve similar results. With our partners, B’nai B’rith expects to continue to improve the lives of many more lower income seniors. Because as everyone is aware, there are significantly more people who qualify for affordable housing than there is supply. 

B’nai B’rith housing isn’t just about construction. We had a very successful spring and summer regarding our programming.  We held our B’nai B’rith Managers and Service Coordinator Training in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and our B’nai B’rith Resident Leadership Retreat at B’nai B’rith Perlman Camp in Pennsylvania. To learn more about these programs, please feel free to read “B’nai B’rith Hosts Senior Housing Experts at Puerto Rico Training Session,” by Janel Doughten and “Resident Leadership Retreat: 2019 Recap,” by Gracie Cohen in this edition of the Seniority Report.  
 
Obviously looking toward the future, we have our annual senior housing conference in Fort Worth, Texas, coming up in a few days.  These conferences are a great opportunity for the B’nai B’rith housing community to come together, network with each other; and hear from experts in the field on how to make our individual buildings the best they can be for our residents.  

As always, CSS is a resource for any issues with HUD and programming for your building’s staff.
 
Again, looking forward to seeing everyone soon.
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Marvin 

By: Dennis Rice, co-chair, B’nai B’rith International Senior Housing

I would like to thank B’nai B’rith International for the opportunity to serve as co-chair of the B’nai B’rith Senior Housing committee, along with the dynamic Abbie Stone. I have been serving B’nai B’rith for the past 54 years in many capacities as president of 2 lodges and units, executive director of the Detroit and Michigan councils, the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership cabinet (now BBI Connect) and vice president of the B’nai B’rith Apartments of Deerfield Beach Florida.

Being involved with senior housing has been the most fulfilling aspect of my time at B’nai B’rith! Every time I visit the Deerfield Beach Apartments, I leave with a sense of accomplishment. Seeing these beautiful individuals living in such a wonderful atmosphere gives me such joy. I am aware that without the facilities we have in Deerfield Beach and around the country, many of these fine people would have a low quality of life. We provide these seniors with the dignity they deserve.

We could not continue to offer the wonderful programming without our great staff. Our service coordinators and property managers meet annually. This year’s meeting took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from May 14 to May16. B’nai B’rith worked with HUD to expand upon emergency preparedness training and include affordable senior housing providers from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Participants volunteered for a day of service at one of World Central Kitchen’s partner farms, Siembra Tres Vidas, located in Aibonita, Puerto Rico. This day of service was coordinated through the B’nai B’rith International Disaster Relief Committee and Center for Senior Services.  Be sure to listen to the podcast for a great recap!

Another wonderful program this summer was the B’nai B’rith Resident Retreat held at Camp Perlman from Aug. 7 to Aug.13. As you know, this event takes place every two years. Two residents from each of the B’nai B’rith Housing facilities are invited to attend the camp and participate in leadership development activities. Janel Doughten coordinates the program. We at Deerfield Beach look forward to hearing from our residents who attend. When the retreat is over, they report to the board about their experiences at the camp. This is always a highlight of our board meetings.

Every year, B’nai B’rith International holds the Conference on Senior Housing for board members and managers from the various senior housing facilities. They meet to discuss pertinent information in order to make their jobs easier. They also have the opportunity to network with other board members and staff who share similar concerns. This year, the conference is in Fort Worth, Texas, from Sept. 21 to Sept. 24 at the Fort Worth Hilton. Our hosts for this year are the Board of Directors and staff of the Mollie and Max Barnett Apartments/Tarrant County B’nai B’rith Apartments in Fort Worth, Texas. Some of the subjects to be discussed are: “The Role of Board Members and the Role of Management,” “HUD and Congressional Update” and “Emergency Preparedness for our Buildings.” 

So, if you haven’t already made your reservation, check out the website for more information:
https://www.bnaibrith.org/2019-housing-conference.html.
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I look forward to greeting you in Fort Worth!
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Dennis Rice, Co-chair BBI Senior Housing Committee

By Gracie Cohen

On a Wednesday afternoon in Lake Como, Pennsylvania, 25 residents from B’nai B’rith housing properties met at Camp Perlman to commence their six-day retreat. The bi-annual Resident Leadership Retreat, now in its 19th year, not only connects fellow resident leaders throughout the B’nai B’rith housing network, but provides many tools to strengthen their communities back home. This year, the retreat took place from Aug. 7 to Aug.13.

Participants were immersed in intensive, day-long workshops. Sessions covered the whole gamut of challenges residents (and sometimes management) face. BBI staff members Janel Doughten, Evan Carmen, Gracie Cohen and our CSS co-chair, Abbie Stone, facilitated sessions, including how to: start a residents council and write substantial by-laws; address language and culture barriers; communicate with management; publish a newsletter and more. Resident leaders even had a set time in the program to bounce ideas off of each other, and problem-solve any issues they are encountering in their residents association or buildings in general.

Aside from workshops, resident leaders spent time with many of the campers who were already at Camp Perlman, folks born at least three generations after our residents! Young campers were able to get to know the residents in a song session and neat ice-breaker games.

One of the huge takeaways from the retreat, aside from residents connecting with each other, is that every program presented throughout the week can be replicated in each of their buildings. So, for those seeking fresh ideas who want to change things up in their building, we encourage you to attend the next retreat scheduled for summer 2021! 

By Evan Carmen

B’nai B’rith and Section 202 Government Funding 2020
B’nai B’rith is pleased to report that the House of Representatives released their version of the FY2020 budget and the legislation looks promising for the HUD.  Unfortunately, getting a fully funded appropriations bill signed by the president is not around the corner. The Senate is working on their budget and will conference with House on final legislation. So far, HUD is fully funded through Sept. 30th. Please stay tuned for further developments in the next seniority report.

B’nai B’rith Advocates in Washington, DC, for Section 202 Funding from Congress!
B’nai B’rith and the American Association of Service Coordinators (AASC) have continued to advocate to Congress on behalf of our Housing Network for the betterment of low-income seniors.  Our energies have been focused on the FY2020 Budget to help ensure the government is funded on Oct. 1st and beyond. We met with staff members from the Senate offices of Sens. Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) offices, as well as from Reps.  Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.), Elliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and senior staff of the Senate Appropriations and the House Appropriations Committees.  

Congressional Visits to B’nai B’rith Buildings!
Recently, a representative from Senator Diane Feinstein’s office visited B’nai B’rith Golden Years Senior Apartments in North Hollywood, California. The representative took a tour of the building and spoke with residents.  After the event, Senator Feinstein sent a letter to the residents to express her support for HUD affordable senior housing.  Check out the letter here.  

In July, Ron Sparks from Senator Doug Jones’ office visited the Glen East Senior Housing Apartments in Dothan, AL. During the visit, Sparks spoke with residents about their experiences and the need for more affordable housing for seniors. We are pleased to say that the visit was reported by the Dothan Eagle.

In August, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.) toured B’nai B’rith House in Reading, Pennsylvania. After taking a tour of the property, the congresswoman spoke to residents about how her office could address constituent services relating to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. In addition, she addressed policy updates relating to Social Security, Medicare and affordable housing. “Everyone should be able to live a life of dignity in our community,” said Houlahan. “I’m grateful for the work B’nai B’rith International is doing to provide senior citizens in Reading with affordable housing and their advocacy on issues concerning seniors and their families, diversity education, and helping communities in crisis.”

B’nai B’rith Senior Housing Now 2019 Rally
B’nai B’rith International co-hosted a rally on Capitol Hill to call attention to the need for more affordable senior housing. About 1,000 people attended the “Senior Housing NOW rally” which featured Virginia’s Sen. Tim Kaine; Missouri Rep. William Clay; California Rep. Katie Hill; and Florida Rep. Donna Shalala, along with a number of residents of affordable housing for low-income seniors.

By: Gracie Cohen

Caryl Diane Ealy, who goes by Diane, was essentially the in-house comedienne of the 2019 Resident Leadership Retreat. Diane moved into Covenant House in Tucson, Arizona, in early January 2019. She became involved with the residents council there. Funnily enough, her mother had lived in the same building for about three years, from 2008 to 2011. “She loved to laugh and make other people laugh, something that apparently has a genetic component in our family,” Diane said.  A family affair, indeed!

Other residents who attended previously told her it was a wonderful opportunity to connect to with many people. She was surprised to learn what other B’nai B’rith residences have, such as a store to support the residents council. As she explained, the concept of a store did not occur to her before the retreat. Of the many workshops during the week, one in particular stood out to her as a meaningful experience: in a small group, participants were tasked with hosting an event for the building. She enjoyed generating ideas with the group and brainstorming all types of solutions for a volunteer clean-up crew, including recruiting local firefighters. All laughs aside, Diane shared that at the end of the retreat, she left feeling charged to do something new back home, even setting the goal of facilitating one to two fundraisers per year on behalf of the residents council.

At the talent show, Diane had an opportunity to do something she’s wanted to do for a long time: perform stand-up. She put together a brand-new 10-minute routine geared to her audience and blew us away!

 As you may have gathered, the retreat has something to offer for everyone who attends. For those who are unsure about attending, you may want to heed Diane’s advice: “It’s packed with good information about how to make your B’nai B’rith experience a whole lot better for you and for all the residents in your building.”

​By Janel Doughten
 
The B’nai B’rith Managers and Service Coordinators met May 14th-16th in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a year and a half after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. This annual training meeting is for the on-site building staff of B’nai B’rith-sponsored senior housing built under Section 202 of the 1959 Housing Act. The attendees focused on issues affecting day-to-day activities of staff and residents.  Although B’nai B’rith does not sponsor Section 202 buildings in Puerto Rico, the meeting was open to staff from affordable senior housing providers in Puerto Rico.
 
The meeting began with 33 B’nai B’rith volunteers traveling an hour and a half outside San Juan to the mountain town of Aibonito to aid residents in conjunction with the World Central Kitchen, a charity established by Washington, D.C. chef José Andrés. Along the way, they saw lingering evidence of the hurricane’s destructive force, from downed trees to destroyed or partially destroyed homes. One of the farm workers noted that what our nearly three dozen volunteers did in the morning was the equivalent of a few days work for him. Because labor is expensive, the farms can only employ a few workers, so the farms depend on volunteers to help do a lot of the work.
 
Back in San Juan, four staff members from the Jacksonville office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees the Section 202 properties in Puerto Rico, participated in panels and gave updates on HUD policies and procedures.
 
Participants heard from their affordable senior housing colleagues on how to prepare for a building-wide emergency and also learned what to do in case of a large-scale disaster in their communities. This portion featured a presentation from Janet Golrick, the National Disaster Coordinator from HUD; the Red Cross; and staff from Grupo HIMA • San Pablo, the largest hospital system in Puerto Rico. 
 
The meeting also included a discussion with Jenefer Duane from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to raise awareness of scams aimed at seniors. Other speakers included Jasmine Borrego, president, TELACU Property Management, Inc., Los Angeles, California; Amanda Atkins, president, Atkins Consulting Professionals, Eugene, Oregon; and Colleen Bloom, CASP, director for housing operations, LeadingAge, Washington, D.C., as well as the Center for Senior Services staff. 
 
Holding the meeting in Puerto Rico allowed B’nai B’rith International to aid in the island’s long-term recovery, beyond assisting with disaster relief. As a bonus, the meeting gave our own senior housing building staff an opportunity to see B’nai B’rith International as more than just a housing provider, but as an international Jewish community service organization.

By Evan Carmen
 
Recently, Covenant Place in St. Louis, Missouri, opened the new Covenant Place II Cahn Family Building and Mirowitz Center. The Cahn Family Building has 102 one–bedroom apartments. Each receives federal rental assistance, making the units affordable for seniors. In addition, the Mirowitz Center will have restaurants (kosher and non-kosher), medical offices and community programing. These amenities will be available to the residents of the buildings as well as to the seniors in the neighborhood.  The goal of this brand-new campus is to serve the older American population in the greater community. 
In June 2016, Covenant Place I Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Building opened. The building consists of 101 apartments and has numerous amenities, including a library, community room and furnished lobby. In addition, Covenant Place has plans for a new Phase III.

Covenant Place originally opened in 1973. Additional buildings opened in 1977 and 1978. Harvey Gerstein was the first building board president and helped get the initial project funded. In addition, Mr. Gerstein took over as the president of the B’nai B’rith senior housing program after its founder, Abe Cramer, stepped down.

By: Janel Doughten
 
The B’nai B’rith International Conference on Senior Housing will take place Sept. 21-24 in Fort Worth, Texas.  This conference brings together on-site building managers and staff, board presidents, members of boards of directors and management agents of the Center for Senior Services network of senior housing for four days of training.  Sessions include a HUD update from Jessie Villarreal, branch chief, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fort Worth Multifamily Asset Management Division; a presentation on HUD 101 for boards of directors by Nancy McIlhaney, director of compliance for Southwest Housing Compliance Corporation based in Austin, Texas; a session on how to support residents living with dementia presented by Jaime Cobb, vice president of dementia & caregiver education at the James L. West Center for Dementia Care in Fort Worth, Texas; as well as presentations from our own CSS experts in the field of aging.
 
Hosted by the board of directors and staff of the Mollie and Max Barnett Apartments/Tarrant County B’nai B’rith Apartments in Fort Worth, Texas, the conference will include highlights like a visit to the  B’nai B’rith residences, the Fort Worth Stockyards historic district, and a special invitation to attend the Isadore Garsek Lodge of B’nai B’rith 2019 Jewish Person of the Year Dinner with a keynote address from Charles O Kaufman, President of B’nai B’rith International.

A big thank you to the board and staff of the Mollie and Max Barnett Apartments/Tarrant County B’nai B’rith Apartments for all their hard work helping to put together a fantastic meeting!

By Evan Carmen

Recently, B’nai B’rith Apartments in Allentown celebrated its 40th anniversary. Originally opened in 1979, Phase I included 151 units, and Phase II (Allentown West, 1983) provided for 120 units. This facility is beautifully maintained, with numerous amenities including a computer room, party room, community room, gym and library.

The event featured music from two bands celebrating the 1950s, The Main Street Cruisers and The Hector Rosado Orchestra; a delicious BBQ and a number of fun prizes. Barbara Butz, president of the building’s board of directors, said, “Serving as president of the board here at B’nai B’rith Apartments in Allentown is an honor. This building has provided a wonderful service to the community the past forty years and I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries for years to come.” 

Additionally in attendance from the community were Mayor of Allentown Ray O’Connell and representatives from Rep. Susan Wild’s (D-Pa.) office Elsie Laboy and Mariska Van Aalst. State Representative Michael Schlossberg and State Senator Patrick Browne’s Chief of Staff Ellen Kern both presented citations to B’nai B’rith Apartments from their respective legislative chambers.  

Furthermore, Neil Forgosh and Bob Sipos were at the event.  Forgosh was the building’s first board president and was instrumental in getting this property built. Sipos, the building’s first property manager and building administrator from the building’s opening until 2018, was in attendance. “It has been great being associated with B’nai B’rith Apartments in Allentown the past 40 years,” said Sipos,  “We have had a wonderful board, great staff and fantastic tenants.  This celebration was a great opportunity to remember the past and at the same time look forward to a bright future.”
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Representing B’nai B’rith was Mark Olshan, associate executive vice president and director of the Center for Senior Services.  Olshan said, “It’s great to see how the building has flourished over all these years and how the property serves the city of Allentown as we originally hoped it would.”

By: Janel Doughten

Janel Doughten, CSS associate director, was one of the presenters at the Robert Cottingham Property Management staff training held in Peoria, Illinois, this past August. Amanda Atkins, president of Atkins Consulting, co-presented with Janel on the following:  Changes to HUD’s REAC Scoring Methods; Dealing with Difficult Residents; Assessing Your Cultural Competency as an Aging Service Provider; Fair Housing and Emergency; and Disaster Preparedness.    The Robert Cottingham Property Management manages the Sam J. Stone B’nai B’rith Covenant Apartments, Phase I & II in Peoria, Illinois, as well as other Section 202 buildings throughout the Midwest. Approximately 75 staff members attended the two-day training.
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We always appreciate the opportunity to participate in our management companies’ staff training.