Hoosier Village, a senior living community in Zionsville, recently announced plans to demolish Crawford Manor — a 100-unit HUD-subsidized senior housing facility — and will relocate more than 100 seniors to other communities across the state.
According to Baptist Homes of Indiana, the decision to demolish the manor was because of a change in its mission and vision for its communities, along with the age of the building.
A demolition date will be determined after all residents have relocated.
The residents of Crawford Manor had 16 months’ notice to prepare for the move.
Built by the Baptist Homes of Indiana with funds from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, the facility was initially established 40 years ago, with the commitment to provide affordable housing for 40 years, according to BHI.
“Over the forty years our mission has become focused on large life-plan communities,” President of Public Relations for Hoosier Village Nancy Nelson said. “This certainly was not an easy decision, but (Crawford Manor is) not our business focus, so we did make the difficult decision not to renew the low-income housing. It is an aging building.”
As the 40-year mark approaches, Hoosier Village said many of the residents at Crawford Manor require additional assistance and have opted to move to assisted living communities since the announcement.
“Many of the longtime residents of Crawford Manor have lived here independently, but for some of them, this is the right time to get assisted living services,” Nelson said. “Some are even moving to one of our other communities in Frankfort (Wesley Manor), where these residents will get very comprehensive services now. Meals, medication reminders and personal care assistance are just a few amenities they will gain from this move.”
Recognizing the emotional and logistical challenges involved, Hoosier Village has partnered with various organizations to provide support.
Zionsville Presbyterian Church has offered resources to aid in packing and moving the affected seniors.
“They are such a blessing and always have been,” Crawford Manor Property Manager Cheryl Onate said. “They have been so kind and generous to my residents, helping them in any way that they can. One volunteer from the church spent three days packing up one of the residents’ homes just to help her.”
Despite the efforts, the announcement of Crawford Manor’s demolition has not been without controversy.
The public has expressed concerns regarding the displacement of low-income senior citizens who rely on the affordable housing provided by the Manor through social media and other platforms.
According to Nelson, Hoosier Village has undertaken several measures to ensure a smooth transition for the affected seniors, including helping residents relocate and secure the necessary funding for their expanded care and move.
“Throughout this process, we have helped residents to get the additional Medicaid waivers needed to get the assisted living services,” she said. “We’ve provided transportation to take residents to our other communities to have lunch and tour the area.”
Onate, who has been the property manager for the manor for 10 years, said she spends every day helping residents with property applications, waitlist issues and viewing other properties for the residents since the announcement of the demolition.
“When I first found out about this, my first thought was that I needed to help them as much as I possibly can,” Onate said. “These residents are my family, my home away from home. The residents are part of my life. When my daughter went to the prom, one of the residents hemmed her dress. My biggest concern is to help my people and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
