ASL Closes on $23.5 Million Deal to Build Fifth Iowa Community

FISHERS, IND.— AHEPA Senior Living (ASL), a nationwide nonprofit provider of affordable multifamily housing for older adults, is

Ceremonial first shovel dig. Photo credit: Joe Crimmings Creative Media

pleased to announce the closing of a $23.5 million agreement on Nov. 30, 2023, to build AHEPA 192 IV Apartments in Des Moines, Iowa, ASL President and CEO Steve Beck announced.

AHEPA 192 IV will be a three-story, 90-unit affordable senior housing community located on 4.4 acres of the old Southridge Mall site. It will be the fifth Des Moines-area affordable senior housing community managed by ASL and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 program.

The project’s financing is comprised of a $8.3 million HUD Section 202 capital advance, a $9.4 million low-income housing tax credit allocation, a $1.25 million Polk County Housing Trust Fund award, a $3.7 million HUD 223(f) mortgage loan, and $400,000 from the City of Des Moines.

“Thanks to our financing partners and the support we received from HUD, we will be able to provide much needed additional safe and dignified affordable housing and quality aging services to seniors in Des Moines,” Beck said.

ASL held a groundbreaking ceremony for AHEPA 192 IV on Aug. 18, 2023.

ASL operates four affordable senior housing communities in the Des Moines area, totaling 196 units.

AHEPA Senior Living affordable independent living communities offer very low-income older adults, 62 and over, residential apartment-home living with the voluntary supportive services they may need to continue to live independently as they age. Through service coordination, the services may include meal services, case management, transportation assistance, public benefits programs enrollment assistance, fitness and wellness programs, housekeeping assistance, and health services. As HUD Section 202 developments, they are subsidized and provide rental assistance for very low-income seniors.

About ASL

Serving more than 5,000 older adults across the United States, AHEPA Senior Living (ASL) is a mission-driven, nationwide provider of affordable independent and assisted senior living communities. Since 1980, it has developed and managed more than 90 affordable senior housing communities in 21 states administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program.

Through its subsidiaries, ASL owns and manages four affordable assisted living communities with 532 units in Indiana.

The mission of ASL is to provide older adults with safe, healthy, and enriching affordable residential communities and quality services that allow them to thrive and enjoy peace of mind.

ASL is based in Fishers, Ind.

Rory Neubrander Hired as VP of Development

We are incredibly pleased to announce the addition of Rory Neubrander as Vice President of Development.

Rory joins us with over 20 years of experience in affordable housing development. Rory started his affordable housing career with the Miller-Valentine Group where he held multiple positions during his 13-year tenure to include financial analyst, developer roles, and a managerial position. Rory served as Vice President with the Fortus Group, focusing on affordable and market rate housing, as well as market rate assisted living. Most recently, Rory was a Vice President with Green National Development where he was focused on the acquisition of rehab Section 8 properties using the low-income housing tax credit.

In his spare time, Rory enjoys working out, watching football (especially college – Go Buckeyes!), and catching up with friends at cookouts and other gatherings. Rory also enjoys golfing, both with his parents and at the occasional industry golf outing.

Rory is the proud human dad to Dixie, a 16 ½ year old Pomchi (Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix).  Despite her age, she still has plenty of attitude and loves daily walks. Rory has one brother who lives in Virginia with his wife and three children.

In this new role, Rory will strengthen AHEPA Senior Living’s portfolio by securing financing to enable properties to be rehabilitated that will improve resident’s quality of life. He is excited to help in the development of new senior living communities.

Please join us in welcoming Rory to the organization as Vice President of Development!

Making new friends while in Assisted Living

A fear many residents experience before moving into an assisted living community is that they will be lonely, but this is simply not true! When you live in assisted living, staying connected with others is essential. All of AHEPA Senior Living’s Hellenic Senior Living affordable assisted living lifestyle communities host many group activities and opportunities to learn new things, see new places, and meet new people. In fact, after moving into an assisted living community, many residents find new friends with similar interests. If you’re thinking about moving into one of our communities, but think you won’t have any friends, this post is for you – keep reading!

Planned Events

Events are a great way to make new friends. At Hellenic Senior Living communities, we have events that residents can attend. Check out our busy Community Calendar at Hellenic Senior Living of New Albany! By attending these events, residents can make new friends and have fun! We regularly host off-site outings which can be an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded individuals in your community.

Not everyone is outgoing, and that’s okay! We also host community activities in which learning is the main objective. There are so many activities you can take part in to ease yourself into getting to know others. For example, we host bingo nights, crafting classes, book clubs, and so much more. The recent holiday season, members of the Hellenic Senior Living of Indianapolis community got together to decorate stockings, listen to Christmas music, and play Christmas Bingo—and even holiday shopped thanks to paparazzi jewelry and craft vendors!

Common Areas

It’s essential to leave your room, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You might not think it, but leaving your room can help you meet new people. By walking around and meeting people in common areas, you can easily strike up a conversation about what they’re currently doing, any hobbies you might have in common, places you’ve traveled, or anything else you can think of. You’ll find that others in your community have similar interests and just want to make friends! Frequenting the common areas will likely result in meeting other residents in a less formal setting.

One-on-One Activities

Everyone is nervous about asking someone to do something one-on-one. What if the other person says, no? Well, it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start small – ask if the other person would like to join a community activity with you. Maybe you know they love a dish you’ve got a great recipe for – ask if they would let you make it for them.

If you still want to ease into it, invite friends outside of the assisted living community over for dinner parties or other gatherings so that they can meet new people who live in your new community! Other ideas can include attending a movie together, going out for food, or even hosting small group gatherings at your home.

Keep an Open Mind

Be friendly and keep an open mind when meeting new people. If you’re new to an assisted living community, it’s easy to feel like you don’t know anyone there – you might not, but neither did anyone else when they first got there. But if you try your best to make friends with others in your community, your circle will eventually grow and expand beyond just the people directly adjacent to your room!

You’ve heard the phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This holds especially true because you don’t know what others are going through. It is crucial to keep an open mind when trying to connect with others. Once you get to know the individual, you may find that your initial thoughts were off, and they were just having a bad day.

Stay Connected!

It’s important for seniors living in assisted living communities to stay connected with others. By staying open to making new friends and following the above advice, residents will scoff at the idea that its lonely in the community. At our Hellenic Senior Living communities there’s always something new to try and someone new to meet!