CORINTH, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A housing and support service organization opened new apartment homes in Saratoga County. Rise Housing and Support Services held a ribbon cutting and gave attendees an inside look.
Rise has served those in need in Saratoga County since 1978 and on Thursday the non-profit expanded its reach by opening its doors to the Riverview Apartments, as part of the state's $25 billion dollar, five-year plan to combat homelessness.
60 new units are designated as supportive and affordable housing. 15 of those will be prioritized for seniors.
Executive Director of Rise Sybil Newell said providing housing is a fundamental building block in getting communities on the right track.
“When you provide affordable safe supportive housing, it allows people the security and stability to make improvements in all the other areas of their lives,” said Newell.
The impact has already been noticed at another complex. The Commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health Anne Sullivan described what she experienced at another affordable housing complex, when a middle-aged man proudly showed his newly decorated place.
"And he showed me a key and he said, 'This is the first time I've ever had my own key. And what a beautiful thing. This is my key. This is my independence. This is my empowerment. This is my future.' And you know we are going to be giving out 60 keys to individuals so that they can have that wonderful future, so thank you so much," said Sullivan.
Senator James Tedisco and others were there to help cut the ribbon at the Riverview Apartments in Corinth.
Those state and local leaders discussed the ongoing housing challenges, including Village of Corinth Mayor Terry Miller who said there was a study done and affordable housing was identified as a need in the community.
“I’m really excited that they’re going to be people that are going to be able to live in a safe affordable place here in this community. It takes a lot of people to be able to get this done,” said Miller.
Sullivan said they have trouble getting affordable housing developed and finding a community that treats people with respect and admiration is important.
“And I think that that is such a beautiful way to put what something like this, having individuals come here who we admire for having gone through the struggles they’ve gone through, the challenges they’ve gone through, being homeless, being unsheltered, living with mental illness, and to have admiration for them and in showing that admiration building a beautiful, beautiful home for them to live in,” said Sullivan.
Hudson River Community Credit Union donated the land for the complex. People are expected to start moving in next week.
