How to Find Housing for Adults with Disabilities in NJ

There are many housing resources available for people with disabilities depending on the needs of the individual. These include fully staffed residential programs and affordable rental housing so that people with disabilities keep their independence and stay active in the community.

CAU offers an array of housing options for individuals with disabilities, including residential programs with 24-hour trained staff, emergency housing, affordable housing and support staff who come and assist members according to their needs. Learn more about our housing in Union County.

Housing Programs and Options in NJ

Section 811 Supportive Housing for people with disabilities program

The Section 811 Supportive Housing for people with disabilities program provides disabled people affordable subsidized apartments. This program allows people with disabilities to live as independently as possible in the community by subsidizing rental housing opportunities which provide access to supportive services.

To qualify for this type of housing, at least one adult household member must have a disability such as a physical disability, developmental disability and/or chronic mental illness. The household must make less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) in the area to which they are applying, or less than 30% of AMI for some properties built after 2012.

The New Jersey Housing Resource Center is an online registry of affordable and accessible housing units throughout New Jersey, including rentals, for-sale housing and housing with accessibility features.

Housing Programs within the Department of Human Services (DHS)

DHS tries to help find the right housing/supportive housing for people with developmental disabilities or mental health issues, those who are blind/visually impaired, those in the addiction recovery process, and those in need of emergency housing. Please visit the DHS Housing page for more information.

The New Jersey Divisions of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), within the Department of Human Services (DHS), is the New Jersey state agency that provides funding for services and support to individuals 21 years of age and above who are disabled intellectually and/or developmentally. Below are some of the housing options available for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Supervised Housing

CAU operates supervised apartments and group homes in the community for people with disabilities who are 21 or older. Committed and trained staff provide assistance to residential members with living skills, community integration, personal care and more depending on the individual’s needs. Staff are on site 24/7 with members, including overnight supervision in case of an emergency.

Members are given private bedrooms in a shared environment with a maximum of 4 roommates who are matched based on interests. Behaviorists, nurses, psychologists and communication specialists are available for extra support. For more information, visit our residential programs page.

Supportive Living Apartment Program

We provide in-home support to our members who live in their owned or rented apartment, free standing home, or condominium independently. Members are assisted by staff regularly based on their individual needs. This provides independence to our members and offers the ability to explore their community.

Many members of the program have lived with their family and have the desire to live on their own or have graduated from the supervised apartment program. Parents with disabilities are also benefited by the program.

Our DDD-Approved Residential Vacancies in New Jersey

At CAU, we provide community-based housing and supportive services for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Choose from DDD group homes and community-based apartments located in New Jersey or in-home support for members who live independently in their rented/owned apartment, free standing apartment, or condominium.

View CAU residential vacancies

Contact Community Access Unlimited Today To Learn More About Our Housing Options

Please contact us to learn more about our housing and other programs. Our staff are happy to help. Contact us on our website or call us at: (908) 354-3040.

Wishing You a Warm Holiday Season

Jillisa Smith

From festive gifts to holiday meals, Community Access Unlimited is doing everything possible to make the season bright.

CAU provides comprehensive services for people with disabilities and youth at risk in New Jersey with the goal of assisting them to become as independent as possible in the community. Whether members will be visiting family over the holidays or not, the nonprofit works to make this time of year special.

“We ask them what they want and they give us their wish list and we try to satisfy it as much as possible,” said Sheila Allen, an assistant director at CAU’s Transitional Opportunities Program for youth.

Contributions from generous individuals and organizations have also helped CAU make a greater impact with members around the state. CAU would like to thank Delivering Good for a donation of hundreds of pieces of new clothing and Holiday Express for holiday gift bags filled with warm winter accessories and toiletries for members.

CAU member Jillisa Smith said she has a lot to celebrate this year. She is enjoying increased independence since she moved into her own CAU apartment in November, transitioning from living in a residential program with others. Her support staff will be helping her with transportation training to learn how to commute to and from work using public transit.

“I’ve been talking about it a lot,” Smith said. “I like to do things on my own like cook some meals for breakfast and dinner.”

Khiam Massey

Youth member Khiam Massey, 19, said CAU is helping him in his early adulthood after years of moving between foster families. Staff have helped him set up a bank account and learn how to budget, and they are helping him study for his driver’s education test.

Member Mark Bloom said that his support staff assisted him in picking out the perfect Christmas gift for his mother. Because his parents are getting older and couldn’t put up a Christmas tree this year, he plans to bring his own Christmas tree over their house to celebrate.

“They always took care of my brother and me and now it’s time to take care of them,” Bloom said.

Anyone interested in learning more about services for people with disabilities or youth at risk can contact CAU by phone at 908.354.3040, email at info@caunj.org, or online at caunj.org.

Tagged with: holidays

Event to Memorialize Homeless in Union County Dec. 21

Union County residents will recognize the harsh impacts of homelessness at the Union County Homeless Persons Memorial Vigil on Dec. 21.

The event takes place at 7 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El in Westfield and is an annual tradition sponsored by the Union County Interfaith Coordinating Council and Community Access Unlimited. Temple Emanu-El is located at 756 E. Broad Street in Westfield. Free registration is available on Eventbrite and through the UCICC Facebook page.

The winter solstice event memorializes members of the community who have died who were unhoused. Faith leaders of different traditions will share teachings and service providers will discuss social services and challenges to affordable housing. All are invited, and attendees may bring new socks or warm winter accessories such as hats, gloves or scarves to donate. The vigil is held on or near the longest night of the year to symbolize the challenges of those who are homeless who may be exposed to dangerous elements and the cold.

“The Homeless Persons Vigil is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the fact that housing is life sustaining,” sas Linda Flores-Tober, executive director of the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless. No organism can live without housing and certainly not human beings. And so we remember those who have died homeless and alone. Each one precious and irreplaceable and gone. But not forgotten.”

The number of people experiencing homelessness in the county is on the rise. On the night of January 26, 2021, a total of 418 households, including 584 people, were experiencing homelessness in Union County, according to the 2021 Point In Time Count, and 14 people were unsheltered on that night. The number of counted people experiencing homelessness was 100 greater than in 2020 and 146 greater than in 2019.

Union County launched a mobile program this month to provide shower and laundry service as well as information about social services to those in need. The Fresh Start trailer will visit locations throughout Union County based on request. Agencies and organizations that are interested can send a request via email to freshstart@ucnj.org.

With the rise in homelessness spurred by the pandemic and eviction protections expiring at the end of the year, service providers are anxious about even more people losing their housing in 2022.

“The chorus of community voices advocating for safe, affordable housing for all needs to be heard and acted upon,” said Bill Webb, special projects coordinator at CAU, which provides services to prevent homelessness.

“More affordable housing is critical to helping people really get on their feet and participate in the larger community,” said Walter Kalman, an associate executive director at CAU. “Service providers have long waiting lists for affordable housing and it is crucial that more of it is built, because there is no substitute for a safe home.”

Tagged with: faith, homeless, vigil

Runaway Prevention Month Highlights Critical Youth Services

This November, Help Shine a light on the 4.2 million young people who experience some form of homelessness each year.

For Manijah Sherin, the trials of being a teenager were harder being a new mother and having a “rocky” relationship with her own mother.

“I had to leave and I really had nowhere to go,” Sherin said, so she started staying with a friend.

Manijah was referred to Community Access Unlimited when she was 18 and decided to take a chance on the youth program. Now 21, she is pursuing a nursing degree and working as a medical assistant, and she has her own apartment and car.

She credits the support and life skills training she received at CAU with helping her get on her feet and plan for her future. She had a safe place to stay and was able to get a part-time job, finish high school and enroll in college while a member of the Transitional Living Program. CAU offers comprehensive programming for youth at risk in addition to operating the Union County Youth Shelter and providing services for individuals with developmental disabilities.

“The program really helped me be successful and independent,” she said. “They help you with a lot of things that they should teach you in high school but they don’t.”

November is Runaway Prevention Month, a campaign designed to “shine a light” on the experiences of runaway and homeless youth that too often remain invisible, and to share resources that are available.

Runaway and homeless youth face significant risks: they report having higher substance misuse problems, mental health problems, and a high risk of being physically assaulted, according to the Voices of Youth Count from Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. The count found that 33 percent of homeless youth had once been part of the foster care system. The lack of a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) was the number one correlate for elevated risk of youth homelessness.

Community Access Unlimited and other youth providers help these young people from missing opportunities to build a secure adulthood.

“I benefited so much from the program and it helped me grow into independence as well,” CAU member Cynthia Ortiz-Figueroa said. “They teach you a lot about credit scores, budgeting, housing- they teach you a lot of that.”

Ortiz-Figueroa entered the program at 14 after leaving home and is now 20. She said that staff helped her with important tasks such as finding a job, getting a government ID, registering to vote and writing her resume. She is also receiving help to find an apartment when she leaves the program at 21.

One in ten young adults ages 18-25, and at least one in 30 adolescents ages 13-17, experience some form of homelessness unaccompanied by a parent or guardian over the course of a year, according to the Voices of Youth Count.

Youth who enter the Union County Youth Shelter go through a screening process to determine their needs, and CAU works with families and/or the Department of Children and Families to determine what services the youth might need, such as mental health care, vocational training, or family counseling.

“We have never discharged a youth to the street or back to being homeless,” said Marie Guillaume, director of youth services.

CAU TOP member Terrell Hammons prepares food for Meals on Wheels.

CAU youth programs include the Transitional Opportunities Program (TOP) which provides comprehensive residential services to youth ages 13 to 21, as well as the Union County Youth Shelter and federal Runaway and Homeless Youth Basic Center Program and federal Transitional Living Programs. Over 90 youth participate in college and employment preparation through the Pathways to Academic and Career Exploration to Success (PACES) program, which is part of TOP. CAU also assists youth with costs that can be barriers to employment, such as child care, and runs a College Access Program to individually guide youth and adults through the college admissions process.

Guillaume emphasized the need for transitional programs and recommended that government grants expand the age range for these programs to serve people up to age 24 or 25 who still need assistance establishing independence.

Sherin said she is grateful to have found the support she needed in her life, and that she is inspired to help others in her own career. She is preparing to welcome a second daughter in December and is working toward her goal of becoming a labor and delivery nurse.

“I like babies and I want to leave a mark on this road before I leave, just to know that I helped a family out just like how they helped me out,” she said.

Eligible youth can become a Community Access Unlimited TOP member by referral through the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, Children’s System of Care, referral by local schools, community organizations or local agencies, faith-based organizations, hospitals and medical offices, self-referral, or by anyone encountering a youth seeking shelter or assistance. Contact CAU to ask about eligibility for other youth programs.

Tagged with: education, families, services, youth

What are you thankful for?

Melissa Pearl and Andre Foster

Many of us have much to be thankful for this holiday season: increased comfort and safety visiting family and friends thanks to vaccines, and a return to some of our favorite activities and regular schedules.

The challenges of the pandemic for people with disabilities have sometimes been more complicated: dealing with changes to important services and navigating the state-mandated safety rules of service providers. People with disabilities also faced significantly higher rates of unemployment during the pandemic.

Members at Community Access Unlimited said that overcoming issues makes this season of thanks even sweeter. CAU is a Union County-based, statewide nonprofit that works to integrate people with disabilities and youth at risk into the community through comprehensive supports.

“I’m thankful for my abilities and being able to adapt to whatever comes my way and overcome any obstacle,” said Andre Foster, who attends CAU’s Academy for Continuing Education. “I’m thankful for my family for providing me the support I needed to attend this program, and for the staff at the program for making it a safe and secure environment for all of us to interact and come together.”

Andre said he was excited to return in person in September at ACE in Roselle, where he takes classes with his girlfriend, Melissa Pearl.

Foster and Pearl said they were careful to limit their face-to-face time at the height of the pandemic because Pearl had received a kidney transplant. Now they feel their relationship is even stronger after working together to support each other.

“It was a challenge for both of us finding ways to be able to see each other,” Pearl said. “It was difficult having that kind of a relationship for a year and a half. We did find ways to see each other even if it was through a computer screen.”

Megan and Maurice Stephens

CAU members Megan and Maurice Stephens said they were grateful to be married at a church this October after holding a smaller outdoor wedding last year. Both of them have also returned to work with assistance from the agency, with Megan working at a retail store and Maurice working in security at the CAU office. The couple will also be appearing in the CAU Community Players production of Elf the Musical Jr., showing virtually Dec. 10-12. Tickets are available at caunj.org.

“It was my goal to be married for a whole year and we’re closer now than before,” Maurice said.

“I’m thankful for my second wedding, for my apartment, and for Maurice, my family, and my job,” Megan said.

Andrew Barry lives at at CAU residential program and said he is thankful and excited to have started a new job on the CAU cleaning crew. He is looking forward to decorating his program to be festive for all the members for the holidays.

“It feels so great- I love all the job coaches and I have one friend who cleans with me,” Barry said.

CAU is participating in #GivingTuesday, occurring this year on Nov. 30. The international day of giving takes place annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick-off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities. Donations support CAU’s comprehensive services for individuals with disabilities and youth at risk and contribute to expenses such as emergency personal items and clothing for new members moving into CAU housing and other programs that increase community inclusion and independence.

“Donating to the program goes a long way to helping people of all different disabilities connect with one another and feel valued and that they matter,” Foster said.

Those who are interested in joining CAU’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit www.caunj.org/support-us/.

“Donating to the program goes a long way to helping people of all different disabilities connect with one another and feel valued and that they matter,” Foster said.

Tagged with: #givingtuesday, disability, services, thanksgiving

Get into the Holiday Spirit with Elf!

Zoe Rivera and Tyler O’Neill perform as Jovie and Buddy in the CAU Community Players Elf the Musical Jr.

A triumphant musical return this December promises holiday cheer, a lot of laughs, and possibly too much sugar.

Tickets are available now for Elf the Musical Jr., presented Dec. 10, 11 and 12. All shows are streaming virtually at 7:00 p.m. for audiences to enjoy at home.

The CAU Community Players are an inclusive group of performers with and without disabilities who collaborate to stage incredible musical performances, including past productions of Hairspray and Aladdin.

The cast of the show is thrilled to return to the stage after months of virtual rehearsals and preparation. Performers used clear masks to interact safely while allowing the audience to enjoy their expressions.

“The point of the show is to fill everyone with Christmas spirit,” said Tyler O’Neill, who plays Buddy. “I’m discovering a side I never thought I had and a lot of joy. And like Buddy, I too enjoy a good hug every now and again.”

Adam Fleissner plays Buddy’s cantankerous father, Walter. He said he is excited for everyone’s hard work to pay off in the final production after a hiatus last year due to the pandemic.

“It’s the first time doing a CAU play since the shutdown and I just love seeing everyone again,” he said.

Proceeds from Elf support CAU’s comprehensive services for people with disabilities and youth at-risk, which include housing, education, employment, support coordination and life skills training.

This adaptation of the hilarious hit film is sure to warm hearts as we prepare for the holiday season.

“I want people to get tickets so they can laugh hard,” said cast member Ernie Smalls.

Read all about it in the 2021 Annual Report!

Our 2021 Annual Report is here!

View the PDF flipbook

View and download PDF

Our annual report is where we share what we do and who we are, including interviews with our awesome members!

What’s in the report:
-Learn about our many programs and services, including education, employment and recreation!
-A thank you to our staff
-Member spotlights
-Financials
-Our supporters and community partners

Tagged with: annual, disability, financials, nonprofit, report

Hiring People with Disabilities is a Win for Everyone

Ronald Vigliano has proven himself as a valuable employee with nearly 22 years of experience working at Shoprite. He prepares orders, delivers them to customers, and processes returns at the bustling store.

Tonya Hopson enjoys her job at Target and has worked at the store for 18 years, stocking and organizing in different departments and preparing drinks at Starbucks.

Vigliano and Hopson are two of thousands of people with developmental disabilities who have unique skills and a desire to work in the United States. Yet across all age groups, people with disabilities are much less likely to be employed than people with no disabilities.

The 2018 American Community Survey found that only 36 percent of people with disabilities were employed, compared to 77 percent of the total population. Workers with disabilities earn only two-thirds as much as the average worker without a disability, according to a 2019 Census Bureau report. Workers with disabilities have also been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, making this a critical time for inclusive hiring practices in American economic recovery.

“If they have the ability to do the work, they should be allowed to have a job,” Vigliano said. “Why not?”

Vigliano’s boss, store manager Frank Juba, said the store welcomes employees with different abilities and works to accommodate them.

“We’re flexible, and a gentleman like Ron is fully capable,” Juba said. “We find a position that suits their abilities.”

Vigliano and Hopson receive job coaching support from Community Access Unlimited (CAU). Every week, Deirdre McCray visits them at work to provide supervision and assistance with any work-related tasks that they need, such as learning how to use a register or taking a training test. People with disabilities seeking assistance in their job search or job readiness training, as well as businesses looking to hire people with disabilities in New Jersey can contact CAU. CAU is an Elizabeth-based nonprofit that seeks to integrate individuals into the community through comprehensive supports.

“The people I work with know their jobs,” McCray said. She added that she helps members stay on task and follow any business procedures and rules, and may pitch in physically depending on the member’s needs.

The extensive benefits of hiring people with different abilities are becoming well-documented. A 2018 study by Accenture in partnership with the American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN reports that businesses that actively seek to employ people with disabilities outperform businesses that do not. Their revenues were 28% higher, net income was two times more, and profit margins were higher by 30%.

Additionally, workers with disabilities have high employee retention rates, high reliability, and a positive effect on employee motivation.

Vigliano and Hopson said that working is an important part of their lives. They feel productive during the day, get out of the house, and most importantly, earn an income that helps pay their bills and other expenses.

“I like to be out of the house and the activity- I like to be working,” Vigliano said.

Hopson said she loves the people she works with and appreciates that the store hires people with different abilities.

“There’s someone at my job who is deaf but she works great,” Hopson said. “They’re equal at my job and there’s no prejudice or anything.”

After paying bills, Hopson said her favorite way to spend her money is to take care of her dog, Lexie. For Vigliano, it’s important to have extra funds to buy his favorite foods.

“We work to find the right jobs for people with different abilities, and we want businesses to see the opportunity and benefits of hiring them,” said Sandra Lynch, managing assistant executive director of supported employment and vocational programs.

CAU Members Learn Culinary Skills and Assist Meals on Wheels

When Hurricane Ida flooded the Union County Meals on Wheels kitchen on Sept. 1, the operation to feed 1,000 homebound people a day ground to a halt.

Thanks to a culinary training program stepping in to help, Meals on Wheels was delivering again a week later at a time of critical need.

The culinary Jobs Plus program run by the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth will hold a graduation event this month, and its participants have much to be proud of. More than 35,000 meals have been delivered to Union County residents since September. Prior to assisting Meals on Wheels, the five program participants were preparing 100 meals a day for seniors in Elizabeth.

“It’s been incredible,” said Chef Ameer Natson, who leads the program. “I think that the nine weeks of us preparing those 100 meals a day made them ready in here to be able to come in and ramp up.”

Natson is known for feeding celebrity clients and has appeared on Food Network. He said participants in his program have learned everything from planning menus to developing flavors and plating food.

Terrell Hammons chops broccoli for Meals on Wheels.

For participants Stephon Bell and Terrell Hammons, training under a successful chef while being paid to help feed those with limited resources has been a worthwhile experience. Bell and Hammons are members of the Community Access Unlimited Transitional Opportunities Program, which provides residential services and supports to youth aging out of the foster care system and other youth at risk. CAU was also instrumental in applying for the federal grant funding for the culinary training and feeding program.

Stephon Bell prepares lunches for Meals on Wheels.

“I come from a background of having my imagination limited from the system…Chef brings that imagination back out and its wonderful,” Hammons said. “It’s so nice to feel like you’re helping somebody and honing your skills while you do it.”

Bell said he hopes to continue working with Chef Ameer in catering.

“It’s really a blessing because most people have to pay for something like this and we’re getting it free,” he said. “Some people have to pay to go to culinary arts school and we learned more than they learn in 12 weeks.”

Tagged with: cooking

How to Find Housing for Adults with Disabilities in NJ