Housing Services

Our Congregate and Supportive Housing options ensure you or your loved one find comfort, shelter and nutrition in a friendly, vibrant community setting.

We Can Help:

Residents access community resources
Work with the local housing authority
Arrange meals
Plan social activities
Manage issues that arise in housing to foster stability and a sense of community

Who We Serve:

Older adults either age 60 and older or 62 and older, depending on the housing community, and younger adults with a documented disability, who are capable of independent living without a need for 24-hour care to carry out activities of daily living

Learn More About Our Housing Programs

Supportive Housing

Supportive Housing offers residents the following supports:

On-call staff available to all residents for emergency assistance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Lunch Program— Daily family-style gatherings offer residents hot nutritious meals, as well as an opportunity to socialize with friends and neighbors.

Locations

WestMass ElderCare provides Supportive Housing in several housing sites:

Birch Bark Place
630 Chicopee Street
Chicopee, MA 01013

Fairhaven Apartments
400 Britton Street
Chicopee, MA 01020

Hubert Place
93 Canal Street
South Hadley, MA 01075

Mont Marie Senior Residence
32 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040

St. Joseph’s Residence at Mont Marie
38 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040

Steven’s Memorial Senior Housing
12 Chestnut Street
Ludlow, MA 01056

West Street (Ware Housing Authority)
181 West Street
Ware, MA 01082

Valley View (Ware Housing Authority)
20 Valley View
Ware, MA 01082

Consult with the on site Resident Services Coordinator regarding available community options for services and supports.

Housing Applications for Birch Bark and Fairhaven can be made to Chicopee Housing Authority 413.592.6132.

Applicants for Hubert Place Supportive Housing should call 413.539.6001 for an application.

More information can be found on the state CHAMP (Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs) website.

Additional Support Services Available:

Service coordination and care management
Regularly needed personal care and homemaking, including laundry, grocery shopping, rubbish removal and more
Medication reminders
Congregate style and home delivered meals
Personal emergency response systems
Social and educational programs

Congregate Housing

Congregate Housing is a housing option for elders and persons with disabilities. While there is not 24-hour staffing, supportive services are available as needed to provide assistance with activities of daily living. Often, Congregate Housing is the answer for someone who is unable or unwilling to live alone, but does not need the full time care of a nursing or rest home. The Congregate Housing Program is funded by the Executive Office of Communities and Development and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and is a joint project of the local Housing Authoritites and WestMass ElderCare.

Holyoke

The Holyoke Raymond P. Murphy Congregate Housing is a residential, shared living arrangement for 20 individuals. It is a housing option which fosters independence, provides supportive services, allows privacy and encourages companionship.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Congregate Housing, an individual must be:

Age 60 or older or an adult under age 60 with a disability
Meet income guidelines for a rental housing subsidy. Tenants pay 30% of net monthly income for rent
Able to function independently with supportive services
Interested in the social interactions of a shared living environment.

Features

Holyoke Raymond P. Murphy Congregate House, completed in 1995, features a 2-story colonial building located in Holyoke, near Route 91 and the Ingleside Mall.

Private bedroom with kitchenette and private half bathroom
Shared full shower bathrooms
Shared living room, dining room, kitchen, library, crafts room, laundry
Elevator
Air conditioned
Open porch
Barrier free rooms
Supportive Services from home care and community resources including:
- Homemaker
- Transportation
- Personal Care Assistance
- Grocery Shopping
- Meal Plan
- Adult Day Health & Social Day Care
- Casemanagement
- Home Health Services
- Emergency Response System

Apply for Congregate Housing

Call Holyoke Housing Authority at 413.539.2228 or

Talk to a WestMass ElderCare Community Resource Specialist 413.538.9020

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between supportive and congregate housing?

Both housing types combine housing with services for older adults and people with disabilities. However, in Supportive Housing, you have a full, private apartment. In Congregate Housing, you have your a private bedroom with a kitchenette and private half bath, but share full shower bathroom and living room, dining room, kitchen, library, crafts room, and laundry spaces.

Am I eligible for supportive or congregate housing?

Many factors go into your eligibility, including age, income, medical expenses, and property choice.

How do I apply for housing services?

Contact the property, or call WMEC’s Community Resource Specialists at 413-538-9020.