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Our History
Comunilife helps New York City’s most vulnerable – the homeless, people living with HIV/AIDS or mental illness, new immigrants who do not speak English and are overwhelmed by daily life, and those in need of affordable housing.
1989
Dr. Rosa M. Gil opened Comunilife, as H.I.R.E, with the goal of training Latino and Asian RN’s and LPN’s for well-paid jobs and increasing the number of culturally competent healthcare providers for two of the City’s largest and most vital demographic group.
1991 – 1992
Comunilife opens its first scatter site housing programs for homeless adults living with mental illness and HIV/AIDS.
1994
Recognizing the lack of culturally-competent preventive services, we opened the OASIS Guidance Center, our pioneering Latino-centered mental health clinic in the South Bronx; the neighborhood with the city’s largest concentration of low-income Latinos.
2008
Motivated by horrifying statistics released by the CDC on the prevalence of Latina teens seriously considering suicide,we developed a groundbreaking new initiative, Life is Precious™ (LIP) in the Bronx. Life is Precious™ is a community informed, non-clinical program with activities that related directly to risk factors. LIP expanded to Brooklyn in 2010, Long Island City in 2015 and Washington Heights in 2019.
2011
The 65 unit Prospect Residence opens in the Bronx. It is the first mixed population building in NYC for older adults living with special needs and low-income community seniors.
2015
El Rio Residence opens in the Bronx with 39 apartments studio apartments for New Yorkers with special needs and 26 studio apartments for low-income community residents.
2019
Comunilife celebrates its 30th Anniversary.
New Housing Opportunities Woodhull Residence I provides 54 units of housing for homeless adults with special needs and 35 community residents opens.
La Central Residence provides 97 units for homeless adults with special needs and chronically homeless individuals as well as 63 low-income residents.
2021
Comunilife’s 78 unit El Rio II Residence in the Bronx opens. El Rio II provides permanent housing for 46 supportive housing clients and 32 low-income residents.
2022
Comunilife’s 148 unit El Borinquen Residence opens. El Borinquen provides permanent housing for 90 supportive housing clients including 29 youth aging out of foster care and 58 low-income residents.
2023
With funding from the NYS Office of Mental Health, Comunilife opens LIP Poughkeepsie and Yonkers – the first two Life is Precious™ programs outside of New York City.
2024
In March, Dr. Rosa Gil retires and Blanca Ramirez joins Comunilife as its new President and CEO.
2025
Construction completed on Comunilife’s new El Hogar Residence. In early 2026, the building will welcome 50 frail elderly and 32 very low-income seniors.
1989
Dr. Rosa M. Gil opened Comunilife, as H.I.R.E, with the goal of training Latino and Asian RN’s and LPN’s for well-paid jobs and increasing the number of culturally competent healthcare providers for two of the City’s largest and most vital demographic group.
1991 – 1992
Comunilife opens its first scatter site housing programs for homeless adults living with mental illness and HIV/AIDS.
1994
Recognizing the lack of culturally-competent preventive services, we opened the OASIS Guidance Center, our pioneering Latino-centered mental health clinic in the South Bronx; the neighborhood with the city’s largest concentration of low-income Latinos.
2008
Motivated by horrifying statistics released by the CDC on the prevalence of Latina teens seriously considering suicide,we developed a groundbreaking new initiative, Life is Precious™ (LIP) in the Bronx. Life is Precious™ is a community informed, non-clinical program with activities that related directly to risk factors. LIP expanded to Brooklyn in 2010, Long Island City in 2015 and Washington Heights in 2019.
2011
The 65 unit Prospect Residence opens in the Bronx. It is the first mixed population building in NYC for older adults living with special needs and low-income community seniors.
2015
El Rio Residence opens in the Bronx with 39 apartments studio apartments for New Yorkers with special needs and 26 studio apartments for low-income community residents.
2019
Comunilife celebrates its 30th Anniversary.
2019
New Housing Opportunities Woodhull Residence I provides 54 units of housing for homeless adults with special needs and 35 community residents opens.
La Central Residence provides 97 units for homeless adults with special needs and chronically homeless individuals as well as 63 low-income residents.
2021
Comunilife’s 78 unit El Rio II Residence in the Bronx opens. El Rio II provides permanent housing for 46 supportive housing clients and 32 low-income residents.
2022
Comunilife’s 148 unit El Borinquen Residence opens. El Borinquen provides permanent housing for 90 supportive housing clients including 29 youth aging out of foster care and 58 low-income residents.
2023
With funding from the NYS Office of Mental Health, Comunilife opens LIP Poughkeepsie and Yonkers – the first two Life is Precious™ programs outside of New York City.
2024
In March, Dr. Rosa Gil retires and Blanca Ramirez joins Comunilife as its new President and CEO.
2025
Construction completed on Comunilife’s new El Hogar Residence. In early 2026, the building will welcome 50 frail elderly and 32 very low-income seniors.