CHEER in Sussex County is adding new senior apartments and support services in Georgetown.
CHEER recently broke ground on its 34-acre village, anchored by the existing CHEER Community Center and the organization's 60-unit low-income senior apartment building.
CHEER chief operating officer Tom Reardon says there is a need for more low-to-moderate income housing.
"CHEER already has a 60-unit senior housing apartment building here on our property in Georgetown, and there is a huge waiting list for that. People are often on that list for two or more years. So, clearly we can see just from that, how great the need is," said Reardon.
The new CHEER Gateway East Senior Residential Village will feature a new 59-unit residential building offering affordable housing for low-to-moderate-income seniors.
This is the first of four apartment buildings planned that will add 236 new low-income senior apartments.
"We hope to have these first 59-units occupied before the end of 2026. Anticipate construction being completed mid to late fall of '26. When will the other units start coming together? I don't know,” said Reardon. “The funding is not as established for those yet, but we continue to work on it. And we know that this community has a lot of support for that, and we know that it will come."
A new Administration and Support Services Building is also planned, providing a centralized hub housing all CHEER administrative and in-home services management personnel.
This will also centralize staff from multiple sites, eliminating the current need for leased office space.
