17 Apr Tenant Spotlight: A Refuge in Webster Green
In the new reality we find ourselves in, “home” is so much more than the place we spend our days in self-isolation. It has become a refuge from the uncertainty of the outside world.
But for Edward Telmar, home has been a refuge since the day he moved into Webster Green. By his own admission, “The only way they’re getting me out of here is with my feet facing up.”
After graduating from Queens College, Edward worked as an electrician. One day, as he was installing light fixtures, the scaffolding he was standing on collapsed. The accident damaged his back, forcing him to go on disability.
His case worker put him in contact with a realtor for special needs housing. As soon as Edward saw Webster Green, he was sold. His wife Lyn and son Sammy joined him shortly after.
“We’re a family,” Edward said. “And being together in this apartment, now we feel like a family.”
Webster Green’s cleanliness, modern design, free events and classes, and proximity to the Botanical Gardens has delighted the Telmars. But even more than these amenities, a big draw for Edward is the community.
“Everybody is nice,” he said. “There are other families with kids here. Before the pandemic, we had community board meetings, holiday parties, coffee groups… it’s a great community. And you have to sign into the building with the guard, so it’s secure.”
Edward also enjoys the on-site supportive services staff at Webster Green. But the greatest benefit of all, he told us, is the opportunity that living here has given him: “Being able to afford our rent means that I can better provide for my family.”