Fostering community among the isolated
When I arrived in Manhattan, NY last July for my first summer assignment, I met with John McVean OFM, one of the founders of St. Francis Residences, who imparted some very wise words to me that I won’t soon forget: “If you want to solve homelessness, build homes!”
The three buildings in downtown Manhattan that make up the St. Francis Residences provide permanent housing with supportive services to people with a history of homelessness and chronic mental illness such as schizophrenia.
McVean’s advice seemed simple enough, but as I spent my weeks with the tenants and staff working in the “residences,” it became clear that they provided people with more than just a room to sleep in - they provided a community.
In the late 70s, McVean along with two other friars - John Felice and Tom Walters - recognized the increasing homeless population following the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric hospitals. Many people with mental illness were left on the streets with no resources, connections, or medical care. If they could afford housing, they lived in run-down single residence occupancy (SRO) hotels. Many became homeless through eviction or rehospitalization.
McVean’s work began in one of these SRO hotels called the Aberdeen, where he helped provide supportive services with social workers and nurses to tenants with mental illnesses. When the Aberdeen was sold for tourist uses, the friars found a new building to continue their work. The first residence opened in 1980 followed by two more - Residence 2 in 1982 and Residence 3 in 1987.
“It’s a safe environment,” said Will Hayes, a tenant at Residence 3, “because everybody around here is friendly.” Hayes moved to Residence 3 in 2014 after being hospitalized from an episode he had while living on the streets. While at the hospital, Hayes was provided a case worker who connected him with the residences.
The night before he moved in, Hayes came to Residence 3 with his uncle to see what kind of neighborhood he was going to be living in. He remembered seeing three tenants conversing on the steps of the residence when he finally decided to say hello.
“So I said, I’m about to move in this place,” Hayes recalled saying to his uncle. “So let’s go across the street and introduce ourselves to these people and get acquainted with them.”
“How’s the place?” He remembered asking his new neighbors who assured him that the tenants in Residence 3 were friendly and didn’t cause problems. Even when conflicts do arise in the community because of personality conflicts, Hayes said “the next day we gather up and we happy again.”
Each residence has a full-time staff that helps the tenants manage their money, medications, and other social services like food stamps. Every morning, Monday to Friday, the tenants line up outside the main office on the first floor to receive their medication and money for the day. This is a special time for the staff to check in with each tenant and build relationships with them, connecting them with resources or simply spending a few minutes in meaningful conversation.
Hayes recalled that when he first visited the residences, he saw the line of tenants waiting their turn in the lobby and didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t used to living in apartments that provided supportive services.
“I didn’t know what the line was,” said Hayes. “I got in the line and all I know is they were lining up. I didn’t know what they were lining up for. I thought they was going to lunch or breakfast or something.”
The tenants at St. Francis Residences have access to breakfast and lunch during the weekdays, all for less than two dollars for both meals. Many of the tenants have an equal hand in building and maintaining their communities. The tenants help brew coffee and wash dishes throughout the week. They also run their own meetings each week to discuss house business, maintenance, and any other concerns.
Apart from their daily routines, the tenants have vibrant lives outside the residences. Hayes said that when he’s not doing artwork, he likes to write rap songs, listen to music, and create youtube videos with his uncle and his fellow tenants.
The people at St. Francis Residences go above and beyond to improve everyone’s overall quality of life. Beyond fulfilling basic needs, recreation and community time are integral parts of the program. The tenants are encouraged to paint and express themselves through art, and groups often take trips to museums, ball games, movies, and parks.
Some tenants still struggle with multiple health issues, and some have to seek treatment in other facilities or hospitals. Hayes reflected on these tenants isolated from the community in hospitals and fellow tenants having difficult days. His sentiments echo the very mission of the Residences - the very Franciscan spirit that animated this project all those years ago. “We still love them,” He said smiling, “we still want them. They’re part of the family. We around them and we know them, and we can deal with them as human beings.”
For more information on the Residences, visit their website at https://www.stfrancisfriends.org/
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