Garden State Community Development Corporation

GSCDC is a premier, affordable housing non-profit developer in Jersey City with over two decades of experience in building quality housing. The Division of Housing and Community Development is responsible for carrying out GSCDC’s mission providing quality affordable housing opportunities to families that cannot comfortably afford to rent or buy in the private market.

To date, GSCDC has completed the development of over 240 residential units, turning over 90 abandoned properties into quality housing for over 630 people through a $40-million investment in emerging markets.

Solutions for a New Economy

• Repurposing properties through new construction, and moderate to gut rehabilitation
• Delivering unique and diverse products with long term sustainability and impact
• Implementing scatter site strategies in order to fill community community gaps block by block
• Designing ventures that stabilize markets, maximize assets and invigorate the local economic environment
• Providing housing opportunities to renters including special needs populations
• Creating home ownership opportunities that generate wealth for families
• Specializing in the redevelopment of foreclosures and other problem properties
• Stabilizing and igniting commercial corridors through mixed use development strategies
• Efficiently using scarce resources and mixed finance options
• Partnering with government and private sector for  policy and programming that is cost effective and timely
• Developing energy efficient and environmentally friendly properties

Corpus Christi Ministries Housing (CCMH) provides 36 units of permanent, supportive housing to individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. CCMH is funded by the HOPWA Program (Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS) and HUD (the US Department of Housing and Urban Development). CCMH operates residences for both single men and women as well as families. Individuals have either a private room in a house shared with four other individuals or their own apartment in a building shared with other CCMH residents. Families have their own apartment in a building with other CCMH families. Each participates in case management to promote adherence and health, and to help identify and achieve goals. Residents receive support and advocacy for a host of medical, financial, social and emotional issues.

Hudson Creating Alliances to Shelter All (Hudson CASA) is a program of homelessness and housing services, developed to address the problem of homelessness in the Hudson County community. Hudson CASA is principally funded federally through HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and distributed through the Hudson County-Garden State Continuum of Care. Hudson CASA has a core vision which is the belief that providing permanent, affordable and supportive housing is the first and most important step in ending chronic homelessness. The second is providing supportive services. Hudson CASA provides intensive case management services to assist homeless individuals to find, secure and/or afford permanent housing. The program staff work to address and prevent homelessness, by providing access to affordable, quality housing, coupled with a continuum of social and supportive services.

Hudson CASA Recovery Support Project Drop-In Center expands GSCDC’s existing services for the substance-using population, offering more accessible, flexible services in a non-traditional setting to support clients in recovery and engage them in substance abuse treatment while teaching harm reduction techniques.

DMHAS Residential Intensive Support Team (RIST) Program provides permanent supportive housing and services to consumers living with mental illness,  in order to promote wellness and recovery. The RIST program is funded by the NJ Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS) and provides 38  consumers with lease-based rental subsidies combined with comprehensive supportive services. This model of housing and services offers maximum community integration and independence. The RIST program seeks to promote housing stability, community inclusion, wellness and recovery, and engagement with mental health and primary care providers. The overall program goal is to advance healthy self-sufficiency. Each RIST consumer has his or her own apartment, a lease in his or her own name, keys and responsibilities. Each participates in case management. Case Managers provide RIST consumers with support and advocacy for a wide variety of medical, financial, social and emotional issues.

Homeless Prevention Rapid-Rehousing Program (HPRP) serves the homeless as well as consumers at risk of imminent homelessness through federal funding from HUD (Housing and Urban Development) and distributed through Hudson County. The Prevention services assist those who are at-risk of losing their housing, to remain housed, through the provision of direct rental assistance, case management and housing stabilization. The Rapid Re-Housing component allows those who are newly homeless and about to enter the emergency shelter system, to access permanent housing through quick relocation, made possible by one-time, short-term financial assistance, brief case management and housing relocation.