If you go to the top floor of our Christopher Residence in Chelsea, NYC and walk outside, you’ll find an oasis. The beautiful flowering rooftop garden exemplifies Common Ground’s approach to ending homelessness: we create supportive communities where individuals are connected and the human spirit is revitalized.
“Michael and I had not seen each other in 10 years but always knew when we were thinking about each other. I don’t think I could have gotten through everything without him and vise versa.†Identical twins, Chris and Michael Oliver share a bond so strong that, even through years of living apart on the streets, they have felt connected for over 45 years.
Exterior of The Hollander Foundation Center | Interior Construction | 
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To learn more about The Hollander Foundation Center click, here.
In the fall of 2007, “Louise” turned 48 years old. She had been battling homelessness and living on the streets since she was 15. She ran away from home frequently to escape abuse at the hands of her parents. “It was horrible,†she says of enduring sexual and physical abuse as a child. Though she was in special education classes in school, they did not provide the support she needed; she dropped out before the seventh grade.
On Thursday, June 26th, close to 80 people gathered at the Mezzanine Gallery at the Times Square for the opening of “Resident Artists: Living and Working at the Times Squareâ€. Times Square residents Steven Fernandez and Jim Davis admire Mr. Fernandez’s carved work.
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Monday, June 16, members of the Village Squares Quilters Guild visited our Montrose Veterans Residence in upstate New York, which will open as a temporary home for 96 veterans this fall. Read the rest of this entry »
Rear interior of Andrews, where “First Step” units will be installed| “Ordering of Things” Installation Prototype | 
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To learn more about The Andrews, click here.
Thursday, June 12-Common Ground will break ground on The Hollander Foundation Center–which represents two exciting firsts for Connecticut: It will be the first LEED Certified green residential building in the State and the first affordable housing development for families in downtown Hartford! …Read More
Schermerhorn House, Common Ground’s nearly completed 12-story residence, will be an important contribution to the revitalization of downtown Brooklyn. It also establishes a standard for green design of affordable housing development in New York City.
Designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, the 217-unit residence features a glass façade and is built on top of the A, C, and G subway lines. The building will include market-rate housing, community and retail space, and supportive housing for single adults. Support services will include access to medical and mental health care, job training, and job placement. Half of the units will house the formerly homeless and individuals with special needs; low-income working tenants, including local actors and artists, will occupy the remaining units. The Actors Fund will provide on-site support services tailored to tenants’ needs, and will also operate a community theater in the building.
Construction on Schermerhorn House is nearing completion. The channel glass facade has been installed, the elevator machines are installed and currently the interiors are being finished.
Marson Contracting is currently on schedule to complete the residential spaces this summer.
The 13.1-mile half-marathon that Jason Stanley ran in Brooklyn on May 3 – along with more than 5,000 other runners — wasn‘t his first, but it was the first time that Jason ran to support Common Ground.
Jason raised $470 to help fund Common Ground’s work to end homelessness.
Read the rest of this entry »
Common Ground Community is a non-profit housing and community development organization whose mission is to solve homelessness.
We start by creating communities where housing is safe, attractive and affordable. We then add support services, like access to medical and mental health care, job training and job placement. We believe that transitioning out of homelessness requires more than just a home, more than just good health, more than just a job and more than just a supportive community - the entire package is necessary. And that's exactly what Common Ground provides: a comprehensive support system designed to help people regain lives of stability and independence.