A proposed group home in Bayside that will house eight individuals with autism was unanimously approved by Community Board 11 last week.
Quality Services for the Autism Community (QSAC), a non-profit organization, is set to purchase the home at 78-42 Springfield Boulevard. QSAC — which has 21 facilities in Manhattan, Bronx, Queens and Nassau County — provides educational, residential, therapeutic and family support services to more than 2,700 people each year, officials said.
“The individuals that will be moving into this community all live in Queens,” said Cory Polshansky, the organization’s deputy executive director and CEO. “We’ve been searching for a house for a very long time. The house and the location were consistent with the needs of the individuals moving in.”
Polshansky said QSAC had first projected the home to be in Bellerose — but the proposal, he said, was shut down by Community Board 13.
“Rather than fight the community board, we decided to look for another house,” he said.
According to Polshansky, the Bayside facility will have 24-hour supervision. He said the eight residents — who have already been selected and range in ages between 20 and 22 — will be assisted with activities. Staff members, he said, will also teach them independent living skills. Polshansky said they have not yet closed on the contract, but the organization expects to shell out an estimated couple hundred thousand dollars in renovations.
