New supportive housing apartments open in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - It was a group effort by several organizations to get the Mason Street Apartments open for residents. The 22-unit complex will house people from the Springfield area who need supportive housing.

"Being unhoused is traumatic, and to expect someone to walk away from, maybe ten or more years on the street or maybe even just six months, and to walk into a place and just start living as if nothing happened," said Penny Powell, executive director of Fifth Street Renaissance. "There may be preexisting mental health issues, there may be substance use issues, there may be domestic violence issues, there may be trafficking issues. "

Residents will have access to on-site supportive services provided by Fifth Street Renaissance and Helping Hands of Springfield. The help can be as practical as how to balance a budget for the first time.

Residents will be referred by homelessness-focused organizations in Springfield. The Springfield Housing Authority is providing project-based vouchers to residents. Powell believes residents will be charged 30% of their income under the program.

"It can be life-changing," said Robert Gillespie, executive director of Helping Hands of Springfield. "These are beautiful apartments. They're furnished, and it gives people dignity, it gives people a place to call their own and it is something that they can be proud of."

Each apartment contains brand new furniture, including beds, mattresses, couches, tables and chairs. Before residents move in, Helping Hands and Fifth Street Renaissance will stock the cupboards, provide linens for the beds and ensure whoever moves in feels at home.

"22 units is a huge impact," Powell said. "It sounds like this tiny number, but when you're searching for units to put people in and those units aren't available 22 at once sounds like a holiday for us. So we're excited with these 22 units."

The Mason Street Apartments are located at the corner of West Mason Street and Rutledge Street in Springfield. The apartments are just a few blocks away from Downtown Springfield, Springfield Memorial Hospital and St. John's Hospital.