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Aurora - The Actors Fund

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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong> Residence<br />

In the early 1990’s, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> Board<br />

of Trustees and management recognized that<br />

affordable housing initiatives in New York City and<br />

Los Angeles were top priority. On July 12, 1995,<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> and <strong>The</strong> Related Companies, L.P.<br />

announced the acquisition of <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong>. <strong>The</strong><br />

project was financed by Related Capital Company,<br />

Related’s financial services division, through the<br />

sale of low-income housing tax credits. As an<br />

incentive to encourage private investment in lowincome<br />

housing, the Internal Revenue Code allows<br />

individuals and corporations to use such credits to<br />

offset federal income tax liability. <strong>The</strong> tax credits<br />

were acquired by a group of financial institutions.<br />

Location and Description<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong> Residence is located on West 57th<br />

Street and 10th Avenue in the midtown/Clinton<br />

community in Manhattan and is the first housing<br />

development of its kind in the country to provide<br />

affordable, supportive housing to special lowincome<br />

groups which include: seniors (55 and<br />

above), low-income working professionals, and<br />

people living with HIV/AIDS. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong> provides<br />

a secure, affordable and supportive independent<br />

living environment with a support service staff<br />

that includes social workers, case managers,<br />

an activities coordinator, on site VNS nursing<br />

services, medical office, and a theatre desk.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong> is a 30-story high-rise luxury building<br />

that was converted into 178 shared residential<br />

units. Each apartment is equipped with marble<br />

bathrooms, fully loaded kitchens including a<br />

microwave and dishwasher, a mini washer/dryer<br />

unit, and parquet floors. All units are fully air<br />

conditioned with terraces in many of the units<br />

displaying spectacular Manhattan views. <strong>The</strong><br />

prime location is convenient to shopping,<br />

transportation and the theatre district.<br />

Common Ground Management<br />

Common Ground Management Corporation, a<br />

subsidiary of Common Ground Community, is<br />

contracted by <strong>The</strong> <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> as <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong>’s<br />

building managers. Common Ground is a nonprofit<br />

organization that has been in the forefront<br />

of developing supportive housing in New York<br />

and provides their expertise to ensure the quality<br />

and standards of housing are preserved within<br />

the mission of <strong>The</strong> <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong>. At <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong>,<br />

Common Ground staff are responsible for property<br />

management, security services on a 24-hour 7 day<br />

a week basis, building maintenance, marketing and<br />

rentals to prospective tenants, and rent collections.<br />

Supportive Services at <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong><br />

Social Services are provided by a team of<br />

social workers, case managers and an activities<br />

coordinator. <strong>The</strong> primary goal is to work with<br />

residents to identify their needs and design a plan<br />

for services based on those needs. During crises,<br />

such as hospitalizations, increased contact and<br />

coordination of service needs are made available to<br />

ensure access to quality care. Upon moving into the<br />

building, all residents are interviewed by a social<br />

worker to familiarize them with building procedures<br />

and resources. Some of the services available are:<br />

− Referral and linkages to community<br />

resources such as legal assistance, access to<br />

primary health care facilities, counseling<br />

services or chemical dependence treatment.<br />

− Assistance with benefits/entitlements<br />

such as Social Security, Supplemental Income,<br />

Medicare/Medicaid benefits, Food Stamps,<br />

prescription plans, Senior Citizens Rent<br />

Increase Exemptions and other entitlements.<br />

− Support to family members (including<br />

partners and friends). Support for residents<br />

that are hospitalized through hospital<br />

visits and coordination of discharge plans<br />

and home care services, if required.<br />

− Assistance with medical emergencies.<br />

− Promotion and support of resident<br />

participation in planned activities.<br />

− Shared living can at times result in roommate<br />

disputes and conflict. Early interventions are<br />

made through a social work facilitated meeting<br />

to determine if roommates can resolve issues<br />

between themselves or evaluate the need for<br />

referral to outside mediation or arbitration<br />

Volunteer Initiative provides opportunities for<br />

residents and outside community members to<br />

volunteer their talents and services in facilitating<br />

and promoting a variety of activities at <strong>The</strong><br />

<strong>Aurora</strong>. Announcements and activity schedules<br />

are posted daily by the elevators. <strong>The</strong> Volunteer<br />

Initiative offers <strong>Aurora</strong> residents and other<br />

<strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> clients the following services:<br />

− Activities Programs, coordinated by a<br />

full time Activities Coordinator, provides<br />

residents with a variety of daytime and evening<br />

recreational and social opportunities. Supporting<br />

a community initiated program of activities,<br />

volunteers from <strong>The</strong> <strong>Aurora</strong> and the community<br />

offer their time and skills to provide weekly<br />

classes/workshops in arts, movement, language<br />

and music. Additionally, trips, outings, parties,<br />

recitals, seminars and other special events are<br />

featured throughout the year. Every effort<br />

is made to accommodate the needs and skills<br />

and incorporate the ideas of volunteers.<br />

− <strong>The</strong> Entertainment Desk provides free tickets<br />

to theatre, concerts, ballet, opera, cabaret, movies<br />

and other kinds of performances for all <strong>Aurora</strong><br />

residents, as well as <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> clients in the<br />

seniors, disabled and AIDS Initiative programs.<br />

− Video Libray, located on the second floor,<br />

provides a collection of donated videos and<br />

DVD’s available for residents to view.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> is a nationwide human<br />

services organization that helps all professionals in<br />

performing arts and entertainment. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> is a<br />

safety net, providing programs and services for those<br />

who are in need, crisis or transition. Please visit <strong>The</strong><br />

<strong>Actors</strong> <strong>Fund</strong> website at www.actorsfund.org.

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