PARSIPPANY — The longest-serving member of the board of directors of the Brookside Housing Corporation is Susan P. Strechay. She started on the board in 1975 and served until August 2015 when she and her husband, Bob, moved to be near her son and grandchildren.
In appreciation for all of her years of service, on September 26, 2015 the board of directors of Brookside named the community room in her honor. On hand for the recognition ceremony were her two of her sons, Rob and Dan along with their wives and children. Also present were members of the board, as well as Alan Rich who has served as the attorney for the board since 1978, as well as the PRD Management team who oversee the management of the building.
Her husband, Bob Strechay, served as the Township’s business administrator for many years.
The Brookside housing complex, with 192 units of affordable senior housing, was the culmination of a volunteer effort by the Parsippany-Troy Hills Senior Citizen Housing Corporation. This organization started in 1970 when Mayor Jack Fahy appointed a committee to look into providing affordable housing for senior citizens. The building opened in June of 1982.
The project development was financed by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. HMFA provided the funding to acquire the property, to construct the building and provide all the site improvements. The rents for the apartments are subsidized by the Federal Housing and Urban Development Agency’s Section 8 program.
For a period of time the project was stalled due to the fact that all new Federal Section 8 rent subsidy funding was frozen by the federal government. Without subsidy funds, the NJ HMFA would not provide the construction funding. The board was therefore very grateful that the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills purchased the property and held it until the Section 8 funds were restored at which time the HMFA provided funding for the Board to buy back the property from the town.
Under Sue’s leadership as President of the Board and a dedicated board member, Brookside has remained an attractive, pleasant and well maintained complex. It has been given many awards for the quality of the maintenance and managements of the building.
Brookside Senior Citizens located at 1111 Parsippany Boulevard is an independent living community. They provide safe and easy-maintenance living for seniors who can still live independently, and enjoy engaging in social activities with other seniors.
Current board members are Mr. Bruce T. Benson, Mr. & Mrs. Robert De Guarde, Ms. & Mrs. Steven Dilluvio, Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Garbarino, Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Huss, Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Merola, Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Rockland, Mr. & Mrs. John Schlitt and Mr. & Mrs. Elliot Warm.
For more information about Brookside Housing Corporation call (973) 299-1620 to speak with a local Care Advisor.
