away from us?" asks JFA resi-
dent Bess Adaskin.
Seven years ago, Ms. Adaskin
moved into Prentis Towers.
These days, she lives on Social
Security, $763 per month, and
has no other income.
"I could not afford to live any-
where else," she says. "If I weren't
able to stay here, I'd have to go
on welfare, and I've never been
on welfare in my life."
The proposed cuts are part of
a national plan to balance the
federal budget by the year 2002.
Legislators are formulating bills
aimed at decreasing tax dollars
to many social services.
Among programs targeted for
cuts are those funded through
the Department of Housing and
Urban Development. JFA re-
ceives 66 percent of its total rev-
enue from HUD. Of more than
600 JFA units, 486 are HUD sub-
sidized. Residents pay 30 percent
of their income for rent and the
government picks up the differ-
ence.
JFA also receives HUD mon-
ey for the Congregate Housing
Services Program, which offers
frail residents big discounts:
housekeeping for $1.25 a week,
transportation, case manage-
ment and weekend meals.
Florence Goldstein, who lives
in the Teitel building of JFA, says
she relies heavily on services pro-
vided by CHSP grants. In par-
ticular, she looked toward Elaine
Friedman, former coordinator of
theprogram, for help after arm
surgery.
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"I've never been
on welfare
in my life."
Bess Adaskin
"Quality of care would defi-
nitely go down if we didn't have
people like Elaine," Ms. Goldstein
says.
A third HUD program admin-
istered through JFA might also
sustain cuts. The resident ser-
vices program pays $621,280
over five years for the full salaries
and benefits of social workers
charged with helping several frail
JFA residents remain as inde-
pendent as possible.
Regina Mantel, who lives in
Prentis Towers, says JFA is im-
portant, not only to her, but also
to family members who need re-
assurance that she is living in a
safe, monitored environment.
Marcia Goldsmith, JFA exec-
utive director, believes federal
cuts to housing might precipitate
foreclosing on HUD properties.
This, she believes, would defeat
the government's money-saving,
deficit-reducing goal.
Ms. Goldsmith does not think
private social-service programs
FIRM STAND page 22
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