The Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) emergency shelter and community center opened eight studio apartments on Wednesday and celebrated the occasion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The studios, at 108 36th St. in Union City, will become homes for people unable to rent housing because they have medical issues and are unable to live alone.
‘Help carve away homelessness, one by one.’ – Diane Johnson
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The residents will pay a portion of the rent and the county Section 8 program will pay the balance. Residents need to reapply for this assistance annually, and abide by the rules and regulations of the shelter. Section 8 is a program that assists low income residents of New Jersey in paying their rent.
Homeless realities
A client named Thomas, who did not give his last name, lived in Bergen County before he became homeless after losing his laborer job in 2007.
“I lost my job and I was on unemployment, and at that time the recession was kicking in and I could not get a job anywhere,” he said. “I was getting behind on rent. My landlord at the time was trying to work with people, but he finally had to do something, so I got evicted.”
Thomas tried to get a bed at the Bergen County shelter. But he has mental health issues and they would not accept him. A case worker from Bergen contacted PERC and Thomas was immediately housed in the shelter. The opportunity to live independently from the shelter in his new studio has taken a great weight off his shoulders.
“I’d like to get computer training in the community center,” he said. “I am just taking advantage of this opportunity”
At Wednesday’s ceremony, Commissioner Christopher F. Irizarry of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Public Property said a personal tragedy sensitized him to the plight of the homeless.
“Over a year ago, I arrived at my home only to find it up in flames and my children on the sidewalk,” he said. “My son had no shoes on, he was in socks, and he was asking and questioning, ‘Dad what’s happening?’ And I had to try to explain, while I myself was trying to understand what my life would be like for the next couple of weeks and months. And that night when I lay my head on the floor in my mom’s apartment not knowing what tomorrow would bring, I realized what it was like to be homeless.”
He added: “I can tell you that this institution is something that is important, not only in the city but the entire county. Homelessness is something that changes your life forever. I pray that God will give me the opportunity to be back in my home in the near future. I think there are thousands of people that will never have that opportunity. And I am glad and comforted, as we all are in Union City, to know PERC is here.”
Team effort
Local and state officials assisted in the funding of the studios construction. Dan Altilio, president of Hudson County United Way, said the organization was really happy to play a role with PERC in this project.
“We have always been a supporter and helper of PERC,” he said. “We are very happy we were able to furnish the apartments. We were very instrumental in getting vouchers so that the tenants themselves can financially function properly.”
United Way has arranged to have 5,000 pounds of food to be donated to PERC from Goya Foods.
“This is a really nice event for all of us to be here,” said Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise. “You see something that needs a lot of work and you try to envision what it’s going to look like and now we can see the fruits of what we had planned. You could see the people living in those apartments. You could see lives being turned around.”
“Each and every time we could put away the word ‘homelessness’ in our neighborhoods and communities, we have done what the Lord wants us to do,” said Diane Johnson, field director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “This is what it takes: Each and every one of us coming together to help carve away homelessness, one by one.”
Emory Edwards, PERC executive director, said, “This project started as a vision back in 2006 and PERC was here [with a] first floor housing and emergency unit and second floor community center and offices. So a vision came forward – why don’t we use our third floor for housing?”
He added: “Every year we count in Hudson County – as everyone counts around the United States – how many people are homeless, how many people are on the streets or living on sofas or have no place to call home. Our count is around 1,800 people every year. I think one of the things we can look at in terms of leadership is Hudson County’s 10-year strategic plan to end homelessness, which calls for the creation of more and more supportive housing units and apartments around the county.”
Santo Sanabria may be reached at SSanabria@hudsonreporter.com.