Elderly Disabled Residents Protest Forced Relocation at Northfield Housing

Elderly Tenants Protest Forced Relocation — Edmond Dantès/Pexels

Dozens of elderly and disabled residents living at the Northfield enriched housing program are pushing back against an abrupt order to vacate within 30 days. They plan to protest publicly and call on elected officials to stop the closure that threatens their tight-knit community.

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Residents Given Notice

Residents at Northfield in Fairport were shocked when Family Service of Rochester notified them they must leave within a month. Many of the seniors say the sudden move is putting their well-being at risk.

Longtime Tenants Speak

Janice Bell, who recently became a U.S. citizen, shared how the news has deeply affected her. “Two years I have lived here, and I have to move again. And it’s taking a toll on me,” Bell said.

Community Bonds Lost

Joan Nersinger, 98, has called Northfield home for nearly ten years and says the forced relocation will break apart friendships built over the years. “Yes, I love them all. Yes, I’ve been here for eight years,” she said. Another resident echoed the loss, saying, “That’s the only thing. We’re not just losing a place; we’re losing our friends.”

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Nonprofit Defends Decision

Family Service of Rochester operates the program, which helps elderly and disabled people live independently. In a letter, the nonprofit’s leadership promised the site would stay open until every tenant found housing.

Secret Recording Revealed

Despite those assurances, an audio recording obtained by News10NBC captured a meeting where Jean Lowe, the board president, offered a blunt reality. “The bottom line is, there won’t be money to pay the electric bill.”

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Financial Shortfall Explained

Board leaders say the program has become financially unsustainable. Lowe told staff, “The issue here is that the level of service and the cost of the building exceeds the rents that we receive from the individuals who live here.”

Pattern of Closures

Northfield is not the first to shut down. Family Service of Rochester has already closed its other enriched housing sites at Danforth, Hudson Ridge Towers, and Jonathan Child Apartments, forcing more vulnerable residents to find new homes. They plan to gather outside the facility along Route 250 during rush hour from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Many have signed a petition and prepared statements to present to local leaders. As Nersinger summed up, “I don’t know what else to tell you except I’m devastated. Really devastated.”