Common Ground (NYC)
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| Founded | 1990 |
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| Founder | Rosanne Haggerty |
| Type | social services organization |
| Location |
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Area served
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New York City, Connecticut, and upstate New York |
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Key people
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Brenda Rosen (President & CEO) Michael J. Franco (Chairman) Christopher P. Frissora (Treasurer) Robert V. Sideli (Secretary) Ricardo A. Anzaldua (Board Member) La-Verna Fountain (Board Member) Tony Hannigan (Board Member) David Neil (Board Member) David L. Picket (Board Member) Richard Roberts (Board Member) Michael L. Ryan (Board Member) Philip E. Silverman (Board Member) Benjamin Stacks (Board Member) |
| Mission | Breaking Ground’s mission is to strengthen individuals, families and communities by developing and sustaining exceptional supportive and affordable housing as well as programs for homeless and other vulnerable New Yorkers. |
| Website | www |
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Formerly called
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Common Ground Community Housing Development Fund Corp. Inc., Common Ground Community |
Breaking Ground, formerly Common Ground, is a nonprofit social services organization in New York City whose goal is to create high-quality permanent and transitional housing for the homeless. Its philosophy holds that supportive housing costs substantially less than homeless shelters — and many times less than jail cells or hospital rooms, and that people with psychiatric and other problems can better manage them once they are permanently housed and provided with services. Since its foundation in 1990 by Rosanne Haggerty, the organization has created more than 5,000 units of housing for the homeless. "This is about creating a small town, rather than just a building," according to Haggerty. "It's about a real mixed society, working with many different people." Haggerty left the organization in 2011 to found Community Solutions, Inc. Brenda Rosen was promoted from Director, Housing Operations and Programs to Executive Director, and has led the organization since.
Breaking Ground began by rehabilitating the Times Square Hotel (located at 8th Avenue and 43rd) Street, which opened in 1991. It went on to restore other historic properties including the Prince George Hotel, opened in 1999. In the late 2000s and continuing today, Breaking Ground has expanded into new construction, bringing to fruition a total of 15 residences, with another 1,000 units in various stages of development.
In Australia, following a report by Haggerty to the South Australian Government, Premier Mike Rann and Social Inclusion Commissioner David Cappo backed Haggerty's recommendations with a multimillion-dollar investment in inner city apartment buildings. Common Ground Adelaide and Street to Home were established and have now been adopted in other Australian States.
Among Breaking Ground's activities is conducting street outreach, which consists of documenting the homeless population and then trying to persuade those who spend the most time on the streets to seek permanent housing, even if they still have drug, alcohol or medical problems. Breaking Ground is contracted by the City of New York to conduct street outreach in all of Brooklyn and Queens and nearly one third of Manhattan.
Some of those involved in the issue of homelessness consider Breaking Ground a pioneer in this approach in the United States.
However, the count, which has been adopted by the city for use in other areas, is not an end to itself, but a first step. According to Becky Kanis, the former Director of Breaking Ground's "Innovations Department",
The important part is what we do with this information. We want to move from crisis management to lasting solutions. Other cities have done that successfully. We plan to do the same.... At the real end of the day the only thing that's going to matter is the people who have been thus far completely unwilling to accept the offers of shelter, etc. by outreach workers. Can we reach them and make a positive difference in their lives? What can we do compassionately to help these people who have, for all practical purposes, fallen through the cracks of society? That's where our focus is; that's what matters. ... We don't know exactly what's going to work here in New York, but we know what's worked in other cities. Therefore, we're going to spend our efforts doing those things, and as we find smarter and better ways to do things we will adopt them.
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Wikipedia