Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Accessibility topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges action to save Addison Court, cites lack of accessible senior housing and transit gaps
Summary
At a Centre County commissioners meeting, resident Catherine Santoro urged officials to find alternatives after Addison Court was sold and warned low-income, disabled seniors face long waits for accessible one-bedroom apartments; she also called for better Bellefonte transit coordination.
Catherine Santoro, who said she lives at Addison Court in State College, told the Centre County Board of Commissioners at their public meeting that the sale of the complex threatens housing and transportation options for low-income seniors and people with disabilities. "I'm Catherine Santoro, and I live at Addison Court," she said. "Our county doesn't have 1 bedroom apartments for low income seniors with disabilities."
Santoro said Addison Court, a 55-and-over property that met her needs for wheelchair access and proximity to the county access bus and Penn State shuttle, is being sold and could be redeveloped for student housing. She described long waiting lists for accessible units — "I have been told that there's a 6 to 9 month waiting list" — and said she gathered about 100 petition signatures asking county and borough officials and housing authorities to work on alternatives to save the building. "We need Addison Court for seasoned seniors, people with disabilities," she said.
County officials acknowledged the concerns and described existing transit agreements intended to help Bellefonte-area riders. A commissioner responding to Santoro said the county and Bellefonte Borough have an agreement with CATA and that "there is a program in place to help out." The commissioner thanked Santoro for raising the issue and noted staff would follow up.
No formal county action to block the sale or to transfer ownership of Addison Court was proposed at the meeting. Commissioners thanked Santoro for her testimony and asked staff to note her concerns as they consider housing and transportation needs.
