Heritage Health and Housing, Inc. ("Heritage"), formerly known as the Washington Heights-West Harlem-Inwood Mental Health Council, Inc., (“the Council”) traces its origin to the 1967 assembly of a group of community activists formed to discuss with Columbia University the services to be provided by a planned Community Mental Health Center (“CMHC”).  While Columbia wanted to see a teaching and research facility, the neighborhood wanted the facility to address the day-to-day problems of living faced by the residents. 

In late 1968, the involved community members formed the Council which was then officially incorporated the next year.  During this same period, the involved State and City mental health agencies decided in favor of the Council as the entity to develop and run the new CMHC.  In 1970, the Council received a $105,000 contract to develop a proposal for a community mental health program.  While the overall proposal was being developed, additional funds began to come in to provide the initial mental health services.

Over the next few years the Council also became involved in the fight to save the Neighborhood Family Care Center scheduled to be built on Amsterdam Avenue and 145th Street.  The building was completed in 1973, but remained vacant as program funds for both the mental health and medical programs remained unallocated as the City dealt with its growing fiscal crisis.  Finally in 1977, the Council received a $2.4 million grant to start the CMHC in the building.  The services provided included: mental health care for the elderly, for adult out-patients, and for substance abusers and alcoholics; adult and children day treatment programs; consultation and education to schools and other community groups; and research and development.

At the same time, a Council proposal to the Federal Department of Health,Education and Welfare (“HEW”) was approved to add a physical health program to the facility.  Although the City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation fought to operate the health program itself, the Council prevailed and the health center began operation in 1980.  During the next several years, the Council expanded its vision to include the importance of finding and providing housing for the de-institutionalized mentally ill and others of its mental health clientele.

In 1986 with new Federal, State and City funding mandates, the Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center was incorporated and established as a separate entity to supply out-patient mental health care and related treatment services.  When this occurred, the Council itself elected a new Board with which to oversee the two remaining components, the Ambulatory Health Care Center providing physical care, and Housing and Community Services aimed at developing supportive housing for the mentally ill and other special needs populations. For almost twenty years, these two components shared a Board but ran independently of each other with their own staffs and budgets.  The Health Center, operating out of the 145th Street building was run by Stephanie Pinto, while Ana Pereira ran Housing and Community Services. 

In 1986, Housing and Community Services acquired and renovated its first building, the 20-unit Council House.  Next it acquired and then renovated the large Hudson Hotel, renaming the 140-bed facility the Harry Simmons Residence for Single Adults.  In 1996, the Council officially changed its name to Heritage Health & Housing, Inc.  For the next ten years, the Health Center worked to expand its services and clientele, while Housing developed new residences and increased the number of scattered site apartments, as well as adding programs for ex-offenders and individuals with HIV/AIDS.  It also acquired an renovated its own 8,200 square foot, AIA award winning headquarters building on West 127th Street.

By June, 2005, Heritage had total yearly revenues of almost $12.5 million and assets of $9.3 million, roughly 90% of which were attributable to Heritage Housing.  2005 was in many senses the end of an era, with the death of Ms. Pereira and the departure of Ms. Pinto.

The Board decided that it was time that Health and Housing began to work together as a united agency, with the two staffs joined under a single director and working to strengthen each other through cooperative efforts and supportive programs.  Today the number of patients seen, the number of clients served and housed, the size of the staff, the number of facilities and the annual revenues continue to grow. 

The Ambulatory Health Care Center, now called Heritage Health Care, provides physical and dental care services, with an emphasis on preventive health care, with programs ranging from school care to geriatric services.  Heritage Housing provides housing and support services to a wide range of individuals with special needs, with facilities and services now provided in both the Bronx and Queens in addition to Manhattan.