Wellspring

Expanding Permanent Housing Opportunities

Mar 09, 2004

Over the past 22 years, Wellspring has systematically worked to broaden agency services and to expand quality, affordable housing for persons with severe and persistent mental illness. We have expanded to 21 locations with the recent purchase of a four-plex in the Irish Hill neighborhood. Meetings with neighborhood representatives have been positive, reflecting both a welcome decrease in the level of stigma associated with mental illness, and an encouraging relief from the NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome that is often encountered.

This newest housing is a four- unit, 100 year old, solid masonry structure that is in overall good shape. Wellspring will rehab the facility as is necessary for it to be in excellent condition. The facility has one 1-bedroom unit, two 2-bedroom units and one 3-bedroom unit. The building is close by a bus line in a safe neighborhood with many nearby amenities.

These apartments will provide permanent housing coupled with supportive case management for graduates of Wellspring?’s Ardery and Journey Houses. They are designed specifically to meet the life needs of our clients so that that they can live safely in the community and continue in their recovery process in relation to both of their illnesses. Each resident will pay only 30 percent of his or her adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, and the supportive services are provided at no extra cost to the resident.

Project funding will come from several sources. One half of the total acquisition and rehab costs of this project will be funded through a grant awarded from the U.S. Dept. of HUD, Supportive Housing Program - Permanent Housing for Homeless Persons with Disabilities program. This funding was received as a consequence of Wellspring?’s participation in the ?“Continuum of Care?” application to HUD as sponsored by the Homeless Coalition of Louisville. Interim financing for this project is being provided by The Housing Partnership and by a local bank, while Wellspring seeks to secure the grant match amount needed for the permanent financing.

Recovery from mental illness is a difficult undertaking requiring the hard work of the client coupled with a flexible array of support services and permanent decent housing. Homelessness is a very steep obstacle to overcome, but it has been documented on both national and local levels that supported housing can and does lead to an outcome of recovery. If we as a society have the knowledge and means to remove homelessness as an obstacle to recovery, then we have a moral obligation to do so. This newest Wellspring project is a modest part of our community?’s response to that moral imperative.