Many young adults in Lucas County are at risk for being homeless when they turn 18, according to the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority.
Transitional youth, which are young adults between 18 and 25, become at-risk if they are transitioning out of foster care, experience family instability, or struggle with mental health and drug abuse issues.
LMH kicked off construction for Park Apartments, an affordable housing building meant to house transitional youth that are at risk of homelessness, in South Toledo on Tuesday.
The former Park Hotel building at 410 and 414 Wade St. and 201 Knapp St. will offer 45 units and wraparound services for its residents, including mental health support, work force development, job opportunities, basic life skills training, and child care resources.
“I think it’s [Park Apartments] really great because of where it's going,” said Rachel Gagnon, interim president and chief executive officer for LMH. “It’s going to be close to downtown, it’s on a bus line, it’s close to several community partners that are going to be able to bring supportive services to the future residents.”
The $15 million project began in 2018 after the housing agency identified high rates of homelessness and family instability among students in the Toledo Public Schools system, she said.
LMH and other local organizations including Toledo Public Schools and Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board united to get the project off the ground, Ms. Gagnon said.
“Projects like this don’t happen overnight,” said Keith Smith, director of real estate development and modernization at the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority. “There have been a lot of hands that have been involved in this over a number of years, and we’re just excited to finally see construction starting and early site work under way.”
The housing authority looked into potentially restoring the Park Hotel building but were told by experts it wasn’t plausible with its budget, Mr. Smith said.
“We didn’t want to see it go, but, unfortunately, we had to do something,” he said. “We’re looking to add something that’s really going to add to the aesthetics of the neighborhood, that’s going to, in a way, honor the past that was here as well as [offer] something for the future young adults that will be living here for a period of time while they transition to their next phase of life.”
Housing is only a “foundational” piece of the puzzle for leading county youths toward independence and stability, the interim chief executive officer said.
Research and data conducted by LMH reveal many of the future residents at Parks Apartments have experienced some level of trauma, which “brings with it its own set of needs and supportive services requirements.”
“We’re really excited because some of our partners here along Broadway [Street] have already stepped up and said that they want to partner with operations once it’s open,” Ms. Gagnon said. “We’ll be able to bring in culinary classes for the residents or get them hooked up with some jobs over at Toledo Zoo potentially.”
The Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority expects construction to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026, Mr. Smith said.
“There are lots of pieces to this construction,” she said. “We have some great contractors here, we’re working with some great union labor on the project, and we’re proud to be bringing a project like this to the area.”
First Published May 28, 2024, 7:45 p.m.
