Affordable housing is on the way for people experiencing homelessness in Peoria who also need individualized supportive services.
Phoenix Community Development Services (PCDS) "topped out" its four-story Madison North Apartments on Friday in downtown Peoria.
"We continue to look for ways to create more housing to fill the gap," said PCDS CEO Christine Kahl. "And so it's pretty incredible to be a part of it. However, we still have a long ways to go. We're not done. However, this does solve homelessness for 24 people."
The new apartment construction is funded by a $5.5 million grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. It's targeted toward at-risk groups, including veterans, young adults aging out of the child welfare system, households led by a person with a disability, and others who need supportive services to remain in a stable housing environment.
This particular grant uses federal criteria to define homelessness, which includes people living on the street, in vehicles, or in vacant residential or commercial structures without running water or power.
"The bigger issue, though, is that the lack of affordable housing is what causes homelessness," Kahl said.
Kahl said the most recent market study showed there are about 4,000 affordable housing units in Peoria, but there is demand for an additional 11,000 units. And it's likely the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated housing insecurity in the area, she said.
The pandemic also has affected the construction of Madison North. Construction was originally slated to wrap up in October.
"We hit delays like everybody else in construction or the lumber market right now. So we had to kind of put it on hold. So at this point in time, we are anticipating early February," she said.
The first floor of Madison North will house a workforce development training center in a commercial space — at least for now. PCDS recently purchased the building at 234 NE Madison to convert into a workforce center and computer lab for Peoria's population experiencing homelessness.
PCDS's New Hope Apartments also are nearby on Fayette.
Kahl said Madison North will also offer life skills and mental health services to help tenants live independently.
