Affordable senior housing apartments in Camden now offer on-site primary healthcare services
Affordable Housing and Health Care Converge in Camden: The Oliver Station Complex
In the heart of Camden, New Jersey, a new beacon of hope for seniors with low incomes has emerged. Lettie Draine, 61, recently moved into one of the 47 brightly lit and modern apartments at the Oliver Station complex, a state-led initiative to expand affordable housing options and increase access to health care.
Named after two New Jersey leaders - Rev. Thomas Clement Oliver, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who passed away in 2023 - the Oliver Station complex is part of the Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). This program supports the development of mixed-use affordable housing communities integrated with on-site health care services, aiming to reduce barriers like transportation and improve health equity.
The project cost $24 million and secured funding with the help of city, county, and state leaders, including the NJHMFA. The collaboration between Virtua Health and the Michaels Organization brought the Oliver Station complex to life, with the first floor of the building now home to a new Virtua Health primary care office.
For patients and residents, high-quality primary care will be literally at their doorstep. Geriatrician Dr. Mithil Choksey stated that putting health care services at the center of housing solves problems like missed preventative medical appointments and long travel distances. The primary care office at Oliver Station is staffed by attending physicians, medical residents, nurses, social workers, and other health providers.
For those who may need more complex care, the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and health complex is just 0.3 miles away from Oliver Station. The apartment complex is located a few hundred feet from the PATCO Ferry Avenue stop, making it easily accessible for residents.
The Oliver Station complex is described as a place that is safe, stable, dignified, and a place residents can call home. The state agency's Hospital Subsidy Partnership Program is helping to open more health housing complexes throughout New Jersey, with a similar complex already opened in Paterson.
Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen hopes the Oliver Station project will serve as a model for other communities, making Camden a place where people want to live, knowing that their health care needs will be met. A new affordable housing complex for people 55 and older with low incomes was also built in the Whitman Park neighborhood of Camden.
On Thursday, a grand opening event for the Oliver Station complex was held, marking a significant step forward in the state's efforts to improve community health and stability through housing strategies. As the Oliver Station complex stands as a testament to this mission, it offers a brighter future for seniors in need of affordable housing and accessible health care.
In the future, more communities might follow Camden's lead, as the Oliver Station complex promotion of affordable housing and integrated health care services for seniors has been hailed as a success. Integrating high-quality primary care services within the Oliver Station complex, considering the Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program, aims to improve health-and-wellness outcomes by reducing barriers in science-backed preventative care, such as transportation issues and excessive travel distances.
