Westhab Inc., the nonprofit founded in 1981 by clergy working with real estate professionals along with Westchester County, celebrated its 40th anniversary Aug. 10 with two of its top executives spending the day visiting 40 Westhab sites.
The organization, based in Yonkers, has properties and programs in Westchester as well as New York City.
Rich Nightingale, president and CEO along with Jim Coughlin, Westhab”™s COO, traveled to Westhab sites in North Salem, Greenburgh, Mamaroneck, White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan to visit with staff members and people receiving Westhab’s services.
In addition to managing shelters, Westhab has renovated buildings for use as transitional and permanent housing and has been responsible for new construction as well.
One of its showcase projects in the Dayspring Community Center and Dayspring Commons being created in the Nodine Hill section of Yonkers. In addition to creating 63 units of affordable housing, the project involves renovation of a former church into a community center.
The organization reports having developed more than 900 units of housing representing an investment of more than $134 million. As a developer, the organization not only builds housing but subsequently provides property management services as well as social services for residents.
Westhab stated that over the years it has taken 8,635 households out of homeless situations and moved them into affordable housing, found employment for 6,815 people, and delivered services to more than 10,000 homeless and at-risk youth.
Its 2020 Impact Report indicates that during the year of the pandemic Westhab provided 2,534 transitional and affordable homes in addition to those offering support services; placed 478 homeless households in permanent housing including 232 families and 246 individuals, served 1,136 elementary, middle school and high school students in after-school and summer programs, and found employment for 608 people at an average hourly wage of $18.49.
