<< Back 7/3/02 Private, public developments in Jackson aimed at seniors By Scott McLeod Mary Jo Hall is a spunky senior citizen, but she does worry about taking care of herself. She owns her own home and about nine acres of land, but it is getting more difficult to keep the place up. “I’ve had a busy life, but I’m starting to have some health problems. I get sick at night. Plus, it is difficult to keep the house up.” Hall is among a growing number of senior citizens looking for an affordable housing option that will provide some non-medical services but far less care than what is provided at a nursing or rest home. Many seniors in Jackson County, she says, are forced into nursing and rest homes simply because there are few other rental or purchase options. “I know people who are in nursing homes who would be in independent living places if they were available,” said Hall. Two weeks ago, Hall was among those who attended a press conference organized by several agencies — Mountain Projects, the Area Agency on Aging and Dominium Corp — where plans were unveiled for two housing projects aimed at helping senior citizens. One will be called Mountain Oaks and will be constructed on 9.5 acres of land off N.C. 107 just purchased by Mountain Projects. It is a self-help apartment project where there will be an on-site manager but tenants will take care of themselves. The 24-unit complex should be started this summer and will be built with money from the North Carolina Tax Credit Program, N.C. Housing Project and Head Start. The center will include a Head Start pre-school site, and the site is expected to become eligible for HUD rental assistance. “I’m very excited about the project being intergenerational with the Head Start facility,” said Patsy Dowling, the executive director of Mountain Projects. Mountain Projects already operates a self-help housing project on Lee Road in Haywood County. The other project is a private development by Jim Dukes and Dominium Corp. and will be located in Dillsboro near the intersection of U.S. 441 and the U.S. 23-74 bypass. It is a residential community aimed at residents 50 and over and will include rental and purchase units (including townhomes, condominiums, and duplexes), and will have on-site 24 hour management. Both projects are being touted as “economic, cluster-living,” and will include many programs and amenities for seniors. At Dominium, residents will have access to health professionals, meals, and assistance with everything from housekeeping service to local transportation. The management team will also help potential residents explore financing options. Mary Barker is director of the seven-county Area Agency on Aging, and she said projects like this will definitely help seniors. “We are trying to provide a continuum of care and prices. We want to put together a plan in Jackson County that addresses every level of need,” she said. The Heritage Hill committee has been working for years in Jackson County to develop housing options for a growing senior citizen population. Right now, there are about 150 rent-subsidized homes and apartments and 279 adult care home and nursing home beds in the county. The Agency on Aging estimate those can house a total of 700 people (of all ages). Census figures estimate there are 6,921 people in the county over age 60. By April 2020, it is estimated that 29 percent of the county’s population will be older than 60. What’s unique about the Dillsboro Crossing phase of the overall Heritage First Communities plan is the financing, supporters say. Residents will own their units, so when it is time for them to move to a higher level of care or they vacate the unit for whatever reason, they sell it and get all their equity plus 33 percent of the appreciation. Residents will have to work out their own financing, but Dominium will have on-site employees to help determine what options are available. Jenny James, who has been involved with the Heritage Hills project since its beginning, said the nonprofit group needed someone with vision like Dukes to get its idea off the ground. “We could never get the money for our plan of a large, senior community all on one site off the ground. Then Jim came along and said he could help,” said James. According to Dukes, about 15 Jackson County residents are ready to move into Dillsboro Crossing, which, when finished, will be about a $30 million project. Dukes said independent living with access to services is what people are getting when they buy into the project.