HABcore, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation in Monmouth County, New Jersey, devoted to providing housing and supportive services in a family-like setting to low income persons or those who are homeless, disabled or unable to care for themselves, and to affording them lives of dignity and meaning.
Read our August 2007 HABcourier newsletter Link to PDF
Behind the façade of Monmouth County's spacious homes with sprawling lawns, lies a deep-rooted problem: the hidden homeless. The sister who is clinically depressed, the son who is a recovering alcoholic or the cousin who is simply down on his luck - these are the people who are in desperate need of affordable supportive housing. Families do what they can, but many are struggling financially and emotionally.
An illness in the family, corporate downsizing, an eviction notice, a family argument - these are the types of events that can cast the most vulnerable family member out into the streets.
People suffering from these unhappy events call on HABcore when they are alone and have no place to go. The good news is that many who find their way here receive much more than shelter. They acquire a home and a family. They regain self-respect. Once again life is filled with dignity and hope.
History and Services
In 1988, several Lunchbreak (a charitable organization dedicated to feeding the hungry in the greater Red Bank, NJ area) volunteers conducted a survey and found that a large percentage of the people they were feeding were living in substandard housing. These volunteers initiated a new organization whose purpose was to provide affordable housing in the same geographic area. Lunchbreak supported the new effort with a grant and loan, and in September 1988, HABcore, Inc. was incorporated. The "HAB" in HABcore was derived from the first initials of the last names of three homeless men who died in the streets of Red Bank during the 1980s.
HABcore has extensive experience in providing permanent and transitional supportive housing to low-income single adults. We provide the building blocks: a clean, safe home, a permanent address, three square meals and laundry facilities. From there, we go beyond the traditional boarding house model by providing a home-like atmosphere with 24-hour supervision to cater to the needs of our population. The support services then extend to tailored development plans that allow residents to start a new life. We have a distinguished track record for expanding services to meet the rising need for housing while continuously improving support services to residents. Our success stories include people like Daphne who graduated college and moved to Orlando to work for Disney and Carl who is starting a greeting card business. With your help we can continue to build on these successes.
In terms of physical growth, we have expanded from five residents to eighty-four since our inception. We currently manage two boarding houses and two “graduate” independent but supportive housing facilities. Though our Red Bank boarding home (The Coffey Residence) opened with a five bed availability, an expansion in 1993 allowed us to accommodate the 21 residents who now live there at below market rents. In 1992, a two-family home was purchased that now houses five people who live independently. In 1998, we more than doubled in size by acquiring The Laurel House, a boarding home in Asbury Park that accommodates 28 people. In 2005, we began a new program to provide rental subsidies and case management services to 22 homeless people with disabilities in Monmouth County. In June of 2005, we acquired a new site in Keansburg to provide another seven units of affordable supportive housing. HABcore reserves ten beds for participants of the 450 Program who are being transitioned from state hospitals back to the community. There is also a respite bed in each boarding home reserved for someone in need of emergency, temporary housing. In January, 2006 we began providing an emergency respite bed for the Monmouth County PATH program.
Central to our philosophy is the recognition that we must help our clients attack the root causes of their poverty. As our population has evolved to one where the majority are people with mental illness, we have expanded support services to accommodate their needs and to foster self-sufficiency. The specific goal of our programs, as described above, is to promote self-sufficiency in a structured, family like atmosphere. In so doing, we furnish our residents with the tools to reach their highest level of independent living. 77% of our departing residents over the last five years have gone on to live in a more independent setting.
HABcore’s success has been recognized by the Monmouth County Department of Community Development, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and HUD.
HABcore is asking that the state and municipalities begin to recognize that we are caring for people who, in many cases, were previously supported by the state at a cost in excess of $100,000 per year, and are preventing individuals from entering the costly hospital system. 83% of our current residents have previously been in that system. According to the NJ Housing Mortgage and Financing Agency, there are 8,000 chronically homeless people in New Jersey.
Our efforts to expand and help improve the quality of living of those less fortunate who are in situations ranging from dilapidated boarding homes to the streets are seriously hindered by limited funds. We could help so many more in need and save the taxpayers thousands of dollars if we had the financial support we need. There is no money out there to acquire existing facilities and rehabilitate them. We would like our local and state government to help us in this area so we may concentrate on client support and expanding our services.
Additionally, municipalities’ rezoning tendencies have all but phased out any possible development of multi-family affordable housing in an effort to minimize density and keep our folks out of their backyard.
HABcore needs financial and political support to help ensure that the less fortunate of Monmouth County can have a safe home to live and the tools necessary to rebuild their lives.
HABcore has extensive experience in providing permanent and transitional supportive housing to low-income single adults. We provide the building blocks: a clean, safe home, a permanent address, three square meals and laundry facilities. From there, we go beyond the traditional boarding house model by providing a home-like atmosphere with 24-hour supervision to cater to the needs of our population. The support services then extend to tailored development plans that allow residents to start a new life. We have a distinguished track record for expanding services to meet the rising need for housing while continuously improving support services to residents. Our success stories include people like Daphne who graduated college and moved to Orlando to work for Disney and Carl who is starting a greeting card business. With your help we can continue to build on these successes.
In terms of physical growth, we have expanded from five residents to eighty-four since our inception. We currently manage two boarding houses and two “graduate” independent but supportive housing facilities. Though our Red Bank boarding home (The Coffey Residence) opened with a five bed availability, an expansion in 1993 allowed us to accommodate the 21 residents who now live there at below market rents. In 1992, a two-family home was purchased that now houses five people who live independently. In 1998, we more than doubled in size by acquiring The Laurel House, a boarding home in Asbury Park that accommodates 28 people. In 2005, we began a new program to provide rental subsidies and case management services to 22 homeless people with disabilities in Monmouth County. In June of 2005, we acquired a new site in Keansburg to provide another seven units of affordable supportive housing. HABcore reserves ten beds for participants of the 450 Program who are being transitioned from state hospitals back to the community. There is also a respite bed in each boarding home reserved for someone in need of emergency, temporary housing. In January, 2006 we began providing an emergency respite bed for the Monmouth County PATH program.
Central to our philosophy is the recognition that we must help our clients attack the root causes of their poverty. As our population has evolved to one where the majority are people with mental illness, we have expanded support services to accommodate their needs and to foster self-sufficiency. The specific goal of our programs, as described above, is to promote self-sufficiency in a structured, family like atmosphere. In so doing, we furnish our residents with the tools to reach their highest level of independent living. 77% of our departing residents over the last five years have gone on to live in a more independent setting.
HABcore’s success has been recognized by the Monmouth County Department of Community Development, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, and HUD.
HABcore is asking that the state and municipalities begin to recognize that we are caring for people who, in many cases, were previously supported by the state at a cost in excess of $100,000 per year, and are preventing individuals from entering the costly hospital system. 83% of our current residents have previously been in that system. According to the NJ Housing Mortgage and Financing Agency, there are 8,000 chronically homeless people in New Jersey.
Our efforts to expand and help improve the quality of living of those less fortunate who are in situations ranging from dilapidated boarding homes to the streets are seriously hindered by limited funds. We could help so many more in need and save the taxpayers thousands of dollars if we had the financial support we need. There is no money out there to acquire existing facilities and rehabilitate them. We would like our local and state government to help us in this area so we may concentrate on client support and expanding our services.
Additionally, municipalities’ rezoning tendencies have all but phased out any possible development of multi-family affordable housing in an effort to minimize density and keep our folks out of their backyard.
HABcore needs financial and political support to help ensure that the less fortunate of Monmouth County can have a safe home to live and the tools necessary to rebuild their lives.