The Westphalia Senior Citizens Complex has been providing affordable housing for seniors in Osage County since the first unit was constructed in 1978 on land that was donated by longtime area resident Al Schwartze, and is part of a non-profit that is run by a nine-member board of directors. Membership to the organization once numbered over 100, but the passing years have seen that number dwindle to under a dozen dedicated volunteers.
That’s something current Board President BJ Rodeman hopes to change.
“We need to get a little bit of interest in the fact that we exist,” said Rodeman, who moved back to Westphalia with her husband in 2015. Both joined the organization as board members in 2016, and she took over as president in August of 2019. “Our organization has been a non-profit 501(c)(4) since 1978. At this point, we are run by an all-volunteer board.”
This type of classification by the IRS refers to civic leagues, social welfare organizations, and local associations of employees. Contributions to these types of non-profit organizations are usually not covered under charitable donations for federal income tax purposes, which can make it problematic when soliciting donations because they can not offer any tax credits in return.
Rising costs in housing are often a worry for elderly community members and their families but the Westphalia Senior Citizens Complex has managed to keep rent prices low by relying on donations of money, goods, and labor.
“We oversee 16 one-bedroom apartments,” Rodeman said.
Unit rentals are based on income and rent starts at about $250 a month and goes up to the highest of $380. This price includes all utilities like water, trash, and electric.
The facility is not assisted living, and the residents are expected to be able to take care of themselves. They run their own households and are responsible for taking care of their apartments. They are also encouraged to be active members of the Westphalia community.
“They look out for each other,” said Rodeman. “It’s a community within a community. It’s kind of awesome. They live independently. We don’t provide any services. The one thing we do have is that Westphalia Hills does offer to provide meals to our residents for a very nominal fee. I think we have four residents that take advantage of that and have their meals delivered every day.”
The complex has a small building used as a common area, and the building also houses a laundry room and contains mail lockers. Residents also use the space to leave things out that are no longer needed by them but could be used by other people in the complex.
“The cool thing is some people are on the low-income food program and when they return from getting food, they leave stuff here that they don't need so others can take it,” Rodeman said.
There are numerous challenges faced with running the facility, and most of them involve specific skill sets that are possessed by board members and volunteers.
“For me, one of the challenges is lack of understanding how all of this works,” Rodeman noted. “That’s why I need my board members. My background is in nursing. I don't know anything about managing apartments. Just regular upkeep with this is a struggle. These first buildings were constructed in 1978 and the others were added in 1986, I think.”
The Westphalia Senior Citizens Complex has had an all-new board since 2019, with a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. “We are actively trying to increase our membership so we can handle any problems the facility may face,” Rodeman said. “Originally there was a large membership that paid 10 dollars in annual dues and there was a lot of interest in the complex. What we lack right now is that big volunteer membership to help out, both with costs of upkeep and with labor, like doing yard work and other stuff.”
The financial cost of routine upkeep has steadily risen over the years. To help offset the burden of some of the more expensive undertakings, the organization has recently applied for a grant to get the front sidewalks of the complex repaired, and for another grant that would cover the cost to replace the roof of one of the apartment units.
“The only money that we get coming in is the rent to cover these costs,” Rodeman said. “Right now we can’t afford to pay a regular maintenance person. The previous person was getting like $600 a month to do light bulbs and change filters and stuff like that. Now, that salary is getting put into savings so we can get a new roof.”
The legacy of Al Schwartz lives on at the complex, as does his commitment to the community of Westphalia.
“Al Schwartz was a member of (St. Joseph parish) here and lived in Westphalia,” said Rodeman. “He’s the one who started this, basically. It was his intention to provide a place where the people of Westphalia and the surrounding counties could live in town and be close to amenities.
“It would be nice to get more people involved with this,” Rodeman added. “It is really fulfilling work.”
The complex is no longer under operated by the USDA. “This belongs to the people of Westphalia,” said Rodeman. “That’s kind of a weird concept when people move in here. They ask who owns it, and it's the people of Westphalia. We have a great group of volunteers who work hard, but I’d love to see more people involved.”
The organization's mission statement is “To acquire, construct, provide and operate affordable independent rental housing, located in the Westphalia community suited to traditional needs and living requirements of elderly or disabled residents of low or moderate income who are residents of Osage County or other surrounding areas without regard to race, sex, color, creed, or national origins.”
The Westphalia Senior Citizens Complex Board of Directors are Rodeman, Vice President Therese Patterson, Treasurer Wanda Groner, Secretary Eileen Plassmeyer, and members Denise Massman, Bill Rodeman, Charles Schwartze, Karen Gentges, and Tom Stegeman.
For apartment availability or volunteer information, please call BJ Rodeman at (573) 864-5193.
To be considered as a resident, senior applicants must be 62 years of age or older and be able to take care of themselves. The facility also accepts applications for residency from adults with special needs. Just like all other residents, they must be able to live on their own and take care of themselves.