Aurora - The Actors Fund
Aurora - The Actors Fund
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.