Finger Lakes United Cerebral Palsy (FLUCP), Inc. /Happiness House Awarded $3.8 Million to Enhance Ho

Finger Lakes United Cerebral Palsy (FLUCP), Inc./Happiness House has been awarded $2.4 million through Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s New York State Homes & Community Renewal (HCR)'s Unified Funding Application, a single-source process to apply for several funding streams for affordable, multifamily developments, part of the Governor's efforts to break down the inefficient and duplicative silos that had previously governed state funding. The low-interest loans and tax credits will build and preserve a non-certified residence equipped with 20 apartments. This Living Center will serve adults with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, or any individual who is eligible for affordable housing. In addition a $1.4 million grant was awarded last month as well as very generous gifts from community funders who provided us with the funding for engineering and start up costs of this project.

FLUCP/Happiness House Living Center will construct a 20,000 square feet, two story wood frame and brick building which will be built on our current campus, located on .96 acres at 5415 County Rd. 30 in Canandaigua, NY. This 20 unit home will have 18/one bedroom units at 650 sq. ft., 2/two bedroom units at 900 sq. ft., a living room, small kitchen and bathroom. This Living Center will be equipped with a community room, kitchen, laundry facilities and office space as well.

“Happiness House will provide residents with services based on their individual needs, including case management, individualized training for independent living skills, wellness and money management education, pre-vocational training, assistance with job search, and direct care support,” said Eileen Gage, Happiness House Board Chair and Vice President of Nursing at Finger Lakes Health.

Mary Walsh Boatfield, Happiness House CEO adds, “Happiness House will ensure quality care and compliance, and will utilize various funding streams to serve all eligible individuals with disabilities who will reside in our housing. We are very fortunate, given the state of this economy, to be afforded this opportunity to expand our services, and it’s imperative that we continue to look for alternative, cost effective ways to provide needed services in the future.“

Happiness House is committed to providing a safe environment with integrated, lifelong opportunities for individuals with and without disabilities where they can enhance their life skills, access public transportation, and contribute to our community, as they strive toward increased independence.

Happiness House- Finger Lakes Cerebral Palsy Association is a private nonprofit health and human service agency that has been serving communities in the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York since 1969. Today with sites in Geneva, Canandaigua, Gorham, and Waterloo, Happiness House offers an array of educational program, recreational and family support services for children and adults with and without disabilities who reside in Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties. On average Happiness House serves 1,000 individuals and their families each year.

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