New apartment complex provides housing for homeless individuals in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Three new apartment buildings have been constructed in Springfield's southwest corner.

The Park Avenue residences include 22 separate units, which will house 33 people in total. These were specifically created for formerly homeless individuals who have been experiencing homelessness for a year or more.

"We believe in housing first," said Laura Davis, the Executive Director of Helping Hands of Springfield, the organization in charge of running the residences. "We understand that you can't begin to address issues like substance use, untreated mental illness, and really move up that hierarchy of needs until you have the basics met so that safe, stable housing with support."

The program doesn't just include housing assistance. Residents have access to on-site nursing, behavioral health services, and support groups. There will also be case managers to help residents create stability plans and connect with local resources.

"This housing project was designed to really bring about a healthy community for people experiencing homelessness," said Davis. "We provide the wraparound services...to give them some stability and support while they are reintegrating back into society."

According to the 2022 Point-in-Time count, 188 adults in Springfield were experiencing homelessness. Of those, 12 percent were veterans and 41 percent had physical or mental health needs. Davis said the trauma-informed approach to housing will make sure individuals feel safe and supported in the apartments.

The development was paid for by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the City of Springfield. IHDA provided a total of $5.2 million in loans and grants, and Springfield provided $800,000 in HOME funds.

Every resident will receive rental assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The units are reserved for households earning less than 30 percent of the Area Median Income.

Some residents have already moved in, and Helping Hands plans to have the apartments full by Christmas time.