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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 31, 2004 Grant ensures future senior housing in Central Point By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune A $5.2 million federal grant will help seniors find affordable housing in Central Point. Pacific Retirement Services will use the grant to build 62 one-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors in the city’s Twin Creeks development, near the intersection of Haskell Street and Taylor Road, just north of Mae Richardson Elementary School. Pacific Retirement, the parent company for Rogue Valley Manor, already provides housing for low-income seniors at sites in Medford, Ashland, Eagle Point and Grants Pass as well as cities in California and Texas. "It was natural for us to look at Central Point, too," said Dena Smith, PRS vice president of housing. The grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development provided funds for buying the 2.03-acre site as well as architectural design fees and construction costs. Advertisement In exchange, PRS agrees to provide affordable housing for at least 40 years for individuals and couples age 62 and over whose income does not exceed 50 percent of the median for Jackson County residents. According to the latest figures from HUD, individuals with an annual income of less than $18,250 and couples with an income of less than $20,850 would qualify for the apartments. HUD also awarded Pacific Retirement a five-year rent subsidy grant of $948,000 so that residents will pay no more than 30 percent of their income as rent. Medical costs such as drugs, medical equipment and physician visits can be deducted from income for the purpose of rent calculation. Smith said the three-story building will be similar in design and layout to PRS low-income senior housing developments such as Larson Creek Retirement Center and Quail Ridge Retirement Community in Medford. Each apartment will have a full-size kitchen and there will be emergency pull-cords in all bathrooms and bedrooms. A community room will provide space for occupants to gather for potlucks and other social events. The project will add a measure of age diversity to the Twin Creeks development, which includes a large number of houses for families, said Tom Humphrey, Central Point’s director of community development. Occupants will also benefit from having nearby neighbors, Humphrey said. "We have a lot of seniors living alone and they’re not always getting the care and attention they need," Humphrey said. "They need to have a facility like this to feel more comfortable and safe and better taken care of." Smith said applications for the apartments cannot be filed until 90 days before the project is scheduled for completion. Construction is planned to begin in early summer and is expected to continue for about seven months. Those who want to be placed on the "interest list" of potential tenants can call 857-7451. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers