Lacasa, Oaklawn selected for supportive housing initiative
GOSHEN — Lacasa Inc. and Oaklawn have secured a pathway to expand supportive housing in Elkhart County through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH).
The two organizations have been selected to participate in the 17th Indiana Supportive Housing Institute, a four-month program designed to finalize development plans for permanent supportive housing.
Lacasa and Oaklawn plan to build an eight-unit building with single-occupancy apartments for people experiencing homelessness over the age of 55, a growing population among the unhoused community. The building is one of seven planned for Lakeview Apartments, a community of supportive housing at Oaklawn's Goshen campus at 330 Lakeview Drive.
At the conclusion of the housing institute, Lacasa and Oaklawn will present a proposal to secure funding for the project.
Supportive housing is a data-driven model that increases the supply of affordable homes, creates jobs, stimulates the local economy and enhances community safety, organizers said. Furthermore, stable housing leads to better health outcomes and improved educational stability for children, families and older adults.
'We're honored and grateful to be selected for this program. It significantly enhances our ability to make a tangible impact through this development,' said Mary Bales, Oaklawn's manager of Housing Development. 'You cannot separate wellbeing from stable housing. When people have that solid foundation, they can remain stably housed, they can access services, and they look ahead to their future. It really works.'
Lacasa will act as the developer and property manager, and Oaklawn will provide supportive services – an arrangement similar to other successful housing projects the two have collaborated on, such as Lincoln West and Westplains apartments, projects that were also part of previous housing institutes. For this project, Maple City Health and REAL Services are also collaborative partners to support the unique needs of seniors.
'Strong partnerships are essential to meeting our community's housing needs,' says Jeremy Stutsman, president and CEO of Lacasa. 'By taking a holistic approach, we ensure individuals have both stable housing and critical support services. Our collaboration with Oaklawn makes lasting change possible, and I'm grateful to their team and our dedicated Lacasa staff for their commitment to this work.'
The Lacasa-Oaklawn team includes three Lacasa staff members – Alan Greaser, chief operations officer; Aaron Lehman, vice president asset management; and Emily Brick, Goshen site manager – along with two Oaklawn staff members, Rhonda Martin, director of Housing Support Services, and Bales. Through intensive workshops, the team will gain expertise in overcoming development and funding challenges and delivering high-quality, trauma-informed services that support long-term housing stability.
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Lacasa, Oaklawn selected for supportive housing initiative
GOSHEN — Lacasa Inc. and Oaklawn have secured a pathway to expand supportive housing in Elkhart County through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) and Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). The two organizations have been selected to participate in the 17th Indiana Supportive Housing Institute, a four-month program designed to finalize development plans for permanent supportive housing. Lacasa and Oaklawn plan to build an eight-unit building with single-occupancy apartments for people experiencing homelessness over the age of 55, a growing population among the unhoused community. The building is one of seven planned for Lakeview Apartments, a community of supportive housing at Oaklawn's Goshen campus at 330 Lakeview Drive. At the conclusion of the housing institute, Lacasa and Oaklawn will present a proposal to secure funding for the project. Supportive housing is a data-driven model that increases the supply of affordable homes, creates jobs, stimulates the local economy and enhances community safety, organizers said. Furthermore, stable housing leads to better health outcomes and improved educational stability for children, families and older adults. 'We're honored and grateful to be selected for this program. It significantly enhances our ability to make a tangible impact through this development,' said Mary Bales, Oaklawn's manager of Housing Development. 'You cannot separate wellbeing from stable housing. When people have that solid foundation, they can remain stably housed, they can access services, and they look ahead to their future. It really works.' Lacasa will act as the developer and property manager, and Oaklawn will provide supportive services – an arrangement similar to other successful housing projects the two have collaborated on, such as Lincoln West and Westplains apartments, projects that were also part of previous housing institutes. For this project, Maple City Health and REAL Services are also collaborative partners to support the unique needs of seniors. 'Strong partnerships are essential to meeting our community's housing needs,' says Jeremy Stutsman, president and CEO of Lacasa. 'By taking a holistic approach, we ensure individuals have both stable housing and critical support services. Our collaboration with Oaklawn makes lasting change possible, and I'm grateful to their team and our dedicated Lacasa staff for their commitment to this work.' The Lacasa-Oaklawn team includes three Lacasa staff members – Alan Greaser, chief operations officer; Aaron Lehman, vice president asset management; and Emily Brick, Goshen site manager – along with two Oaklawn staff members, Rhonda Martin, director of Housing Support Services, and Bales. Through intensive workshops, the team will gain expertise in overcoming development and funding challenges and delivering high-quality, trauma-informed services that support long-term housing stability.
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