Neighborhood Housing Services
Helping Southeast Queens Seniors
Go Home Again

By MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE

Imagine what it must be like to move out of the home you’ve lived in for decades then watch helplessly as your beloved property falls into disrepair and even is overrun or taken over by "squatters."

For an 87-year-old South Ozone Park man this nightmare became a reality until a local non-profit group stepped in and help him reclaim his home.

M.L. de Lange is 87 years old. His wife is 88. By his quick wit it is easy to see that he likes to joke around. But behind the jocularity, de Lange is concealing a lot of pain.

He has had to live with the fact that his South Ozone Park home had become a squatters’ paradise — the investment of his working years had essentially become useless.

Enter Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) a downtown Jamaica-based non profit organization dedicated to all things home ownership and life is once again looking up for the elderly couple.

Under their "Senior Project/Adopt a Senior" program, NHS, the publicly funded 30 year-old program, used donated services and materials to renovate deLange’s home.

De Lange, who said he felt helpless to do anything about his plight but refused to give up, was thrilled.

"This is a great day that I’ve waited for a long time," he said. "Finally we will be able to move back into our home."

Surrounded by a large team of workers including NHS Executive Director Cathy Mickens and representatives from Travellers Insurance, which "helped to pay for paint and material," de Lange was amazed at the speed at which the work was being done on his once decrepit corner property.

Electric saws buzzed loudly as trees were trimmed or completely removed, rakes scraped the barren lawn and painters scarped, repaired and repainted the old iron fence. The fence also features a gleaming new sign that reads "No Dumping."

Across town in St. Albans where NHS had been knocking on the door of Terry Sheblyn, whose house was showing signs of age, work was about to begin to restore at least the exterior to its former glory.

NHS workers and volunteers work to give 87-year-old de Lange a home he can live in again. PRESS Photo by Marcia Moxam Comrie

Sheblyn was "very, very skeptical at first," but they eventually persuaded her to accept the offer.

"It looks nice," she said, surveying her freshly painted home.

For Mickens there was no better thank you than the joy written on Sheblyn’s face.

"When we see the expression of gratitude on the seniors’ faces it makes us feel good," said Mickens. "But it’s not just the seniors. It’s the neighbors as well. They are so glad to see the difference it makes to the neighborhood."

According to Howard Walters, program coordinator for NHS, many seniors are hesitant to take advantage of the program because of the general high incidence of senior rip offs and scams.

"The general reluctance of seniors who will allow this to take place makes it a little difficult," said Walters. "Any number [of planned projects] has fallen through. But Mr. de Lange was from the other extreme. He had been pushing for a year."

Mickens also revealed that the de Lange property was in such bad shape the house was barely visible.

"It was a wilderness," said Mickens. "He said he was even robbed right there on his own property. He is a very proud man but he was extremely happy and someone told me they saw tears [in his eyes]"

According to Walters, a senior must be on a fixed income and be "up to date" on property payments.

"We usually require up to date real estate taxes, water and sewer taxes, homeowner insurance and up to date mortgage," he said.

The coordinator also explained that the NHS Adopt a Senior projects usually have a larger manpower than even a licensed contractor would have on a job site.

"Coordination ensures volunteer participation," said Walters. "It ensures the orderly completion of the project given the large number of hands stirring the soup."

Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) works closely with the U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development (HUD) to help people qualify for home ownership.

Locally, NHS was started in Jamaica’s Baisley Park area in 1974 when a group of residents and bankers decided it was time to reinvest in the community.

NHS is a non-profit entity that informs, helps, and even contributes to funding for first-time homebuyers in low and middle income areas, according to NHS officials.

In addition, NHS sponsors programs and seminars to better educate perspective buyers on the dangerous waters of real estate — before swimming with the real estate sharks.

With direct access to lenders, NHS is able to enlist the participation of banks that are committed to increase ownership opportunities.

Mickens described several of the other plans that NHS offers.

The "Home Maintenance Project" teaches people how to take care of property and has been so successful that it is now replicated throughout the country.

NHS is able to solicit money directly from the government through the Home Grant Program, which now boasts a $400,000 budget.

This funding enables NHS to give $20,000 grants to 20 homebuyers at the closing of the property. The recipients of these grants are required to live on that property for five years, said Mickens.

The First Home Club deals with matching funds from various lenders. Candidates for new homes can receive three dollars for every one dollar they save to a maximum of $5,000.

Another program involves renovating properties and then putting them into a lottery.

The properties will be sold to the lottery winners. This program helps fight overcrowding, said Mickens.

For people with major credit problems, NHS offers a schedule of sessions, ranging from three to four months, and sometimes as long as 10 months.

This program helps people get out of the credit ditch, said Mickens, as perspective homebuyers learn how to eliminate their debt.

Welcome Home

Seniors who need help restoring the exterior of their homes may write, visit or call NHS at 89-70 162 Street, Jamaica, NY 11432, 291-7400 or visit their website at www.nhsnyc.org.

Neighbors can also call the organization and suggest addresses in need of refurbishing.