Local Seniors find new homes

Oct. 29 was a great day for 28 local seniors and their families, as the Town of Hempstead held a housing lottery for Foster Meadows senior housing, which is scheduled to be finished before the end of the year.

Foster Meadows, a development of low-cost senior condominiums built on the site of a former Elmont lumber yard, has been five years in the making for the town.

There were days, according to Town Supervisor Kate Murray, when it seemed the condos would never be finished.

“We had hoped to be doing this event, quite frankly, four years ago, in October of 2005,” Murray said, “but we’ve had two floods ... and we also had to switch developers.”

The project was a massive undertaking that required more than one developer to finish after the original contracting company dropped out because of multiple conflicts. Flooding in the back of the planned site did not help the project along.

Once a new construction company, the Bedford Construction Group, was selected to finish the project, things came together quickly for local seniors. In September, the town finally opened the doors of the complex, allowing them to take tours of a fully furnished unit.

Each of the 30 units costs $150,000 — $175,000 with a $25,000 grant going to each owner — and monthly maintenance fees are just over $500. Figuring in electricity and utility charges and property taxes, seniors can expect to pay between $750 and $800 in monthly fees to live at Foster Meadows.

For many seniors living on fixed incomes, the housing represents an opportunity that is too good to pass up. Ultimately, Murray said, the creation of senior housing in Hempstead means the community is a little richer.

“Any time you get to build senior housing ... it’s a victory for our golden citizens,” she said. “It’s very expensive to live here on Long Island, and at the same time, our seniors don’t want to leave their communities, because these are the communities where they’ve raised their families.”

Last Thursday’s lottery got off to a shaky start, with the first two housing winners not present to present their winning numbers. They received congratulatory phone calls later in the week from Murray’s office. The first winner in attendance was Elmont resident Philipose Dommen, who got the third selection.

There were a few simple ground rules, intended to ensure that local residents got the first choice of housing. Elmont residents had the first chance to be selected, followed by seniors living in unincorporated areas of the Town of Hempstead, then those in incorporated areas.

Nassau County residents came next, and then seniors who live outside the county. Hempstead officials were anticipating a larger application pool for the lottery. Only 28 applications were received before the deadline for the 30 units. Those that came afterward were put on a waiting list. Town officials expect the building to be full when it opens later this year.

Larry and Yingmong Chen of Merrick were given a slot, and said they hoped to move in as soon as possible. Larry said that having a low-cost home they could count on close to their old hometown was going to make a huge difference in their lives.

“Once we live here, we can enjoy a new life,” Chen said. “It’s really our dream. We’ll be safe here, we can travel. We’re really very excited.”

The chance to start a new life in a new home — while still living and being close to family in Nassau County and Hempstead —was a big draw for seniors who took part in the lottery. For many, taking care of a home had become a full-time job.

Walter Mack and his wife, Alberta, said they were excited to take part in the lottery, and even more excited about the prospect of moving into a new home in Elmont from Valley Stream.

“The first and most important thing, I think, is that the living conditions at our age would be better,” Walter Mack said. “Something like this, for people our age, is just a better quality of living.”

Mack said he was also pleased with the layout of the units, each of which has 955 square feet of space, one and a half baths, energy-efficient appliances and a large kitchen off the living room. There are outdoor terraces and multiple bedroom/office options.

Seniors interested in applying for the waiting list for Foster Meadows can call their local legislator or go to the town Web site, www.toh.li.

Comments about this story? MHampton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 214.