Affordable, supportive housing complex breaks ground in Medford

Construction is underway in Medford on a $40 million senior affordable and supportive housing project developed by the nonprofit WellLife Network, the organization and the governor's office confirmed.

Located on Horseblock Road east of Route 112, the Medford Gardens apartments will be available via housing lottery, WellLife's CEO said. Slated to be completed in summer 2026, the complex will house residents 55 and older who earn no more than 60% of the area median income, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said in a news release. 

Of 66 available units, half will be supportive housing for seniors experiencing homelessness and mental health challenges. Hochul was not available for comment on Thursday, her office said.

The project will be funded by various  agencies, including New York State Homes and Community Renewal and the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program, the governor's office said. According to WellLife, the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency is providing economic incentives.

WellLife Network serves individuals with such challenges as homelessness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse disorders in New York City and on Long Island, said CEO Sherry Tucker. The nonprofit offers services including substance use disorder clinics, community outreach programs and residential facilities.

“We want to make sure people have safe, nurturing, comfortable housing where they can lay their head at night and be able to have that need satisfied so that they can look to the other things they’re trying to accomplish in their life and have success,” said Tucker.

Rents at Medford Gardens will range from $975 to $1,460 per month, including utilities, for each of 10 studios and 56 one-bedroom units, said Sofia Chevez, a senior account executive for Marino PR, which represents WellLife. Affordable and supportive housing units will be interspersed throughout the 69,000-square-foot project on its 6.8-acre site, said Tom Corsillo, senior vice president of Marino PR.

In the central Suffolk submarket, which includes Medford, the market rate for a studio is currently $2,337 a month on average, according to Mateusz Wnek, associate director of market analytics, New York, for CoStar. A one-bedroom at market rate averages $2,562 a month, Wnek said.

Affordable and senior housing in the same area typically costs $1,567 per month for a studio or $1,561 per month for a one-bedroom, Wnek said.  

The Medford affordable housing units will be filled by lottery system, Tucker said. Supportive housing units are typically filled based on referral from local organizations, she said.

Supportive housing units are offered in conjunction with various social services. For individuals in supportive housing, a caseworker will visit at least once monthly, Tucker said. The managed apartment building will have 24-hour front desk coverage and a superintendent living on site, she added.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development calculates adjusted home income limits for affordable housing. As of 2024, the maximum adjusted home income for housing that requires a resident earn less than 60% of area median income was $65,640 for a single-income household in Nassau and Suffolk counties, according to HUD data. For a two-income household, the corresponding figure was $75,000.  

By Arielle Dollinger

arielle.dollinger@newsday.com@aridollinger

Arielle Dollinger joined Newsday as a staff reporter in 2022. Previously, she covered local and national news as a freelancer for The New York Times, Newsday and other outlets.