NSB's Greenlawn Manor senior facility almost fully rented as officials gather for opening

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — The idea to repurpose the Greenlawn Terrace apartments on Oleander Street into an affordable housing property has been in the works since 2017.

Friday, after years of work from the New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority, with the help of its many partners, the city’s $23 million Greenlawn Manor facility hosted its official opening ceremony.

City officials, representatives from other local and state agencies and some of Greenlawn Manor’s new residents gathered at the building’s lobby area where a few speeches highlighted the years of work toward the project and the importance of affordable housing opportunities in the city.

Greenlawn Manor groundbreaking:New Smyrna Beach affordable senior housing project underway

Greenlawn Manor, located at 911 Oleander St., is a facility dedicated to senior residents. The three-story building features 80 units — 65 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom units — along with other amenities, such as offices and community rooms.

“What a beautiful addition to the historic westside community,” said Teresa Pope, the Housing Authority’s executive director, during the ceremony. “One thing about the public housing community is that it is family. The community takes care of each other.”

She said the facility is close to being fully rented out, with 63 apartments already occupied.

Pope and her team work to find residents affordable housing opportunities as well as year-round programs directed to help homeless individuals.

Rosemary Walker, chair of the Housing Authority’s board of directors, pointed out the difficulty that many senior citizens face to avoid loneliness.

“That’s why, today, what I love most about this project is this space,” she said of the lobby area, where several couches, chairs and tables are set up for residents to gather. “It’s a place to meet you friends and neighbors.

“There is no reason to be lonely here,” Walker said.

This part of Greenlawn Manor also features an outside screened porch area, a kitchen, exercise room, computer lab and even a library.

The previous Greenlawn Terrace property was built in 1954 as an affordable housing project itself, though not designed exclusively for seniors. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development deemed the property obsolete. Greenlawn Terrace residents relocated after receiving housing vouchers as part of the city's Section 8 voucher program.

‘It’s our second beginning here’

Greenlawn Manor’s first residents started moving in a few months ago.

One of them, Carmen Rodriguez, has been at her new place for two months after moving from Massachusetts.

“It’s beautiful,” Rodriguez said, adding that the building feels like living in a hotel. “I love the washer and dryer — I never had it in my apartment.”

Rodriguez, who is originally from Puerto Rico, applied for a lease at Greenlawn Manor and moved to Florida because of the same problem seniors in New Smyrna Beach are facing: high rental prices.

“Some people cannot afford their rents,” she said, adding that she was paying over $2,000 for rent in the Bay State. “Now with this, it’s beautiful, it’s amazing. Everybody can have extra money to buy other things.”

First residents move in:NSB welcomes residents to Greenlawn Manor, the city's first affordable housing for seniors

Sue Bennett, 82, was living in Oak Hill before she moved into the Greenlawn Manor at the beginning of June.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for seniors,” Bennett said. “It’s our second beginning here.”

At Greenlawn Manor, Pope said the residents will pay 30% of their income for rent, no matter what unit they are in.

“We have 60 project-based vouchers attached to the units,” she told The News-Journal in May. “The rent for the one-bedroom units is $1,290, and the voucher program, through the Housing Authority, will pay the rest to the property manager.”

Bennet said she has the chance to make her apartment the way she wants, which she plans to do little by little as she gets her finances in order.

“I’m just so grateful,” she said. “I’m enjoying every minute of it.”

Greenlawn Manor’s phase II

The Housing Authority's focus now shifts to the second phase of the project, which aims to provide more affordable housing space, but this time for families in need.

This phase will consist of three buildings at 500 Brooks St., just south of Greenlawn Manor. In total, it is expected to offer 72 multi-family units spread equally among the three buildings, according to Pope.

The city will relocate residents living in the approximately 40 units in that area once the demolition and phase II construction begins. Residents will receive housing vouchers as part of the Housing Authority’s voucher program, the same process used with Greenlawn Terrace residents before Greenlawn Manor construction began.

Funding for that part of the project will depend on whether the city can secure the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit — approximately $20 million.

The city applied for the tax credit last year and committed to $460,000 in city funds toward phase II.