NORTH CAPE MAY — Camden Diocesan Housing Services Corp. was given its third outstanding achievement award for one of its six senior citizens facilities.
Haven House at St. John of God was given the 2010 award for Outstanding Achievement from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (MARC-NAHRO).
“And right after receiving that award,” said Curtis H. Johnson Jr., executive director of the Diocesan Housing Services, “we received a national award for Haven House from the national chapter of NAHRO in Washington, D.C.”
The last two honors received by Diocesan Housing Services were for Shepherd’s Farm senior housing in W. Deptford and Stonegate at St. Stephen in Pennsauken..
Johnson said his department oversees six facilities, “so we’ve got three more to go,” he quipped.
Johnson pointed out that NAHRO is a leading housing and community development advocate for adequate and affordable housing and viable communities, especially for low- and moderate-income families.
When asked how Haven House had been chosen, the executive director said that NAHRO looks at all promising projects and, when they saw Haven House, “I was told by them to apply for the award, and the timing turned out to be just great,” Johnson noted, “since we were able to receive the national award, also.”
Johnson explained that all the facilities run by his department are not living-assisted nor are they nursing homes.
“We have independent living facilities,” he said, “and each person has his or her own apartment. The only requirement is that you must be at least 62.”
He pointed out that most of his tenants are retired but some are still working and some retirees have part-time jobs.