Mayor Fulop, Cardinal Tobin & Catholic Charities Debut New St. Lucy's Complex
Providing Permanent Solutions, Affordable Housing & Dynamic Support Services to Effect Change
Click here to view the livestream from today’s event.
JERSEY CITY, NJ – Today, Mayor Steven M. Fulop and Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, joined partners Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark, Arc Building Partners, Claremont Development, City Council members, and Jersey City residents for the official opening of the St. Lucy’s Complex, a brand-new 60,000 square foot facility providing a continuum of housing and supportive services that go above and beyond for individuals experiencing homelessness in the community.
The Grove Street facility opens today after two years of construction to build multiple affordable housing solutions along with emergency shelter, transitional housing, and comprehensive supportive services. Previously, Catholic Charities provided housing services across the street from this location. This building will allow for an expansion of housing options to help the community.
“There is no one-size-fits-all solution to homelessness. That is why we are creating a holistic approach with the new St. Lucy’s campus to provide emergency food and shelter, and we are now taking it a step further with more permanent actions that help break the cycle and set residents on a stable path to becoming productive citizens,” said Mayor Fulop. “Today, we are opening the doors to countless opportunities for residents who need it most. I have no doubt St. Lucy’s will continue its long-standing success as a critical community asset. As we welcome the residents, I want each of them to know they have our full support as they take these first steps towards a renewed future for themselves and their families.”
The newly expanded St. Lucy’s campus features:
- Shelter Space – 150 beds for homeless individuals
- Transitional Housing – 14 residential units for individuals living with HIV/AIDS
- Permanent Family Housing – Five 3-bedroom permanent supportive housing units for families
- Permanent Studio Apartments - 15 permanent affordable housing studios.
- Daily Drop-in Area – Available to nonresidents needing a meal, shower, or laundry
- On-site Programs – Catholic Charities will provide comprehensive case management services to help individuals find permanent housing, employment, and assistance with physical/mental health, substance use issues, and more
"I am humbled to be a part of this vital effort," said Cardinal Tobin. "Projects like this are essential to help the poor, vulnerable, and those most in need. The crucial work of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark and this St. Lucy's Complex are tangible examples of following our Catholic faith's tenets to respect each person's life and dignity. Lives will be saved, and hope will be rekindled."
As a long-established 24/7 emergency shelter, St. Lucy’s devotion to helping the homeless serves as the foundation of this expansion to provide Jersey City’s neediest residents and families with a more promising future. Located between 15th and 16th Streets, the new Complex is the former site of St. Jude’s Oasis, a Catholic Charities housing program that has been incorporated into the new site.
“Since Christmas Eve in 1986, Catholic Charities has welcomed people into St. Lucy’s, offering a comfortable bed, a warm meal, and a helping hand. Today, we are proud to expand our services at this new location, which will enable us to serve even more people in need,” said John Westervelt, Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark. “As always, each person who enters our doors will be treated with dignity and respect. We will provide each client with a multitude of services to help them become more independent and work towards self-sufficiency. We are excited to get to work!”
“The creation and preservation of affordable housing and assisting the homeless population are top priorities at HUD, and St. Lucy’s Complex is an example of what is possible,” said Alicka Ampry-Samuel, HUD Regional Administrator for New Jersey. “HUD will always support valuable partners like Catholic Charities and local homeless services providers that move us forward in our goal of housing New Jersey families in need.”
Individuals who overcome homelessness become contributing members of society, ultimately benefiting the community in numerous ways. Over the past five years, St. Lucy’s has provided 175,273 nights of shelter to 4,275 individuals. In that same time period, the facility has helped 221 individuals find employment and 430 individuals find permanent housing.
“When I became homeless, my experience at St. Lucy’s was terrific: staff were helpful and nonjudgmental, and they connected me to housing vouchers, medical care, and employment assistance. At the hardest time in my life, I felt loved and supported,” said Toni B., former client at St. Lucy’s. “Now that I am stable, I volunteer at St. Lucy’s so I can help others on their journey.”
“At Arc Building Partners, we’re more than just construction professionals. We’re community partners who recognize our responsibility to uplift those who need it most and make a difference in our community, and it’s incredibly rewarding for our team to see this project come to fruition," said Frank L. Ciminelli II, President and CEO of Arc Building Partners. "The St. Lucy’s project represents our unwavering dedication to creating spaces here in New Jersey that foster hope, dignity, and an opportunity for a fresh start. We believe everyone deserves a chance to rebuild their lives, and this shelter is a testament to that belief."
The team at Arc Building Partners is collecting items for the residents as they transition into this important new facility and is asking the community to join them in this effort. Items needed include toiletries and basic household necessities. Donations are accepted 24/7 at the St. Lucy’s Complex at 612 Grove Street.
To learn more about St. Lucy’s and how to help, go to ccannj.org/housing-and-food/.
About the Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark serves 1.3 million Catholics throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. The Archdiocese has 212 parishes, 73 Catholic schools, and many missions and ministries. Hundreds of Masses are celebrated in more than a dozen languages each week. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the sixth archbishop of Newark, leads the Archdiocese with four auxiliary bishops. Together, they serve the northern New Jersey community through faith, education, and social services. For more information, visit www.rcan.org.
About Catholic Charities
Tracing its roots to 1903, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark is a not-for-profit social service agency of the Roman Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of Newark. As one of New Jersey’s oldest and largest agencies, Catholic Charities serves nearly 60,000 individuals and families each year in 86 programs. Catholic Charities strives to improve the quality of people's lives and enhance their self-worth and dignity through a network of caring, effective, and well-managed social service, behavioral health, and education programs. These programs include shelters, housing programs, emergency food, behavioral health, family counseling, immigrant and refugee services, early childhood centers, older adult services, workforce development and special education programs. Catholic Charities is a concrete illustration of the Church’s commitment to ease suffering and bring social justice and hope to all, without regard to religion, race or culture. For more information, visit ccannj.org.
About Arc Building Partners
With offices in Morristown, New Jersey, and Buffalo, New York, Arc Building Partners is a full-service project delivery firm focused on complex, fast-track deliveries serving private and commercial clients in numerous vertical sectors, locally, regionally and nationally. As part of its suite of professional services, Arc offers delivery types such as construction management at-risk and design-build. To learn more, visit www.arcbuildingpartners.com.
About Claremont Development
Claremont Development is a real estate firm focused primarily on the ground-up development of multifamily, industrial, and mixed-use properties throughout New Jersey. The firm leverages expansive in-house expertise and strategic partnerships to navigate all elements of the development and construction process, in order to minimize risks and maximize returns. The firm was formed in 2019 as the next chapter in the evolution of Claremont Construction Group, a multi-generational construction services and real estate development firm established in 1954. Claremont Development is responsible for over $600 million in ground-up development projects and has a pipeline that exceeds $1 billion in project costs. For more information, visit claredev.com.
All media inquiries should be directed to Kimberly Scalcione at [email protected].