Hanac Senior Housing Facility Gets $600G Fed Funding Infusion
BY JOHN TOSCANO

(L. to r.): John Kaiteris, HANAC, Inc. executive director and chief operating officer; Athena Onorato, wife of state Senator George Onorato; the Rev. Don Olinger, pastor of Astoria Presbyterian Church; Congressmember Carolyn Maloney; Alfred DelliBovi, president, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York; HANAC, Inc. Chairperson Evangeline Douris and Al Gentile, Astoria Federal Savings & Loan Association assistant vice president.

Officials from HANAC, an Astoria based social services organization, received a grant of $600,000 in federal funds last week to help finance construction of a 93-unit senior residence on the site now occupied by the Presbyterian Church of Astoria at 31-30 33rd St., Astoria.

Congressmember Carolyn Maloney, one of the participants in the ceremony stated, "This federal investment in affordable senior housing will make a difference in many families' lives and serve to strengthen our community."

Addressing former Queens Assemblymember Alfred DelliBovi, president of the federal Home Loan Bank of New York, which made the grant, and Al Gentile, Assistant Vice President of Astoria Federal Savings, where the funds will be deposited for HANAC, Maloney thanked both for "helping us to realize this measurable progress in the effort to preserve and increase our stock of affordable housing."

Accepting the grant were HANAC Chairperson Evangeline Douris and its Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer John Kaiteris.

After thanking Maloney; DelliBovi and Gentile for their collaborative effort in securing the grant, Kaiteris explained that the funds would be used to construct the nine-story structure, which would house "low-income and very low-income senior citizens".

Kaiteris said seven units would be set aside for elderly persons with physical, visual or hearing disabilities. The building will be designed for barrier-free access for persons with disabilities and will incorporate green and smart building technologies.

Kaiteris explained further that HANAC will provide an onsite social services coordinator to assist tenants with referral services and help those with special needs. He said additional financing for the project will be provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its 202 program and Low Income Housing Tax Credits.

DelliBovi, who was defeated by Geraldine Ferraro when she ran for Congress for the first time in 1978, said the $600,000 award was the result of a successful partnership forged by the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and Astoria Federal Savings.

"As a congressionally-chartered institution, the Federal Home Loan Bank is delighted to help fund this critically needed affordable housing for seniors," DelliBovi said. The funding comes through a special program created in 1990.

The soon-to-be-constructed senior housing facility will be HANAC'S second in Astoria. The first is located at 21st Street and Broadway.

HANAC, an acronym of Hellenic-American Neighborhood Action Committee, was founded in 1972 through the efforts of the late George Douris, a City Hall reporter for the Long Island Press, and several young men who were active in the Greek-American community, including Kaiteris and the late Angelo Petromelis and Archie Mavromatis.

The organization is a non-profit, multi-funded and citywide, and serves local community residents, including, but not limited to, lowincome families and individuals, immigrants and refugees, youth, the elderly, the unemployed and underemployed and business owners, by developing, implementing, and administering programs including, but not limited to, workforce development; adult education, immigration counseling and advocacy services to New York City employers and new immigrants; housing; senior citizen services that include transportation, nutrition, recreation, and counseling/ entitlement programs; child and family counseling to prevent foster care placement and disintegration of the family unit; crime victims' services; substance abuse prevention and treatment services; youth services, and weatherization services.