Ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Cottages set for Nov. 6

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Cottages at Green Lake, 930 W. Second St., will be at noon Friday, Nov. 6. The Cottages will provide permanent supportive housing for individuals with serious persistent mental illness. Supportive housing is a combination of affordable housing and supportive services designed to help vulnerable individuals and families use stable housing as a platform for health and recovery.

The ceremony will include brief remarks from Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority Executive Director Shannon Oury, Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority Board Chair Joshua Powers, Douglas County Commission Chair Patrick Kelly, and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center CEO Patrick Schmitz. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the local public health order’s limit on gatherings, the invitation-only event will be live-streamed through Douglas County’s Facebook page at facebook.com/douglascountyks.

“There is no greater power than a community discovering what it cares about and finding a way to make change happen,” Oury said. “This community has decided that caring about our neighbors with mental illness is a priority and has collectively found a way to make this project happen. The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority is proud to be a part of this project.  It is our goal to transform lives through accessible, affordable housing opportunities, particularly for members of our community that face significant barriers to housing.”

There are 10 separate cottages that have been specifically designed to maximize functional abilities and minimize the barriers through good design and appropriate supports. All of the units are designed to comply with federal American with Disabilities Act guidelines, and three of them are designed as fully accessible for those who might be wheelchair bound. The Cottages have solar integration on the roof to offset electrical costs and an interior accessible green space. The units are located within three buildings. Building A is 2,085 square feet, Building B is 2,046 square feet, and Building C is 2,779 square feet.

It is anticipated that the first tenant will move into The Cottages in January 2021. Each tenant will pay 30% of their income as rent and the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority will provide the remaining cost through a voucher funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Tenants will have the opportunity to participate in services and programs offered by agencies in the Behavioral Health Leadership Coalition. These agencies include: DCCCA, Bert Nash Center, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, Heartland Community Health Center, Heartland Regional Alcohol & Drug Assessment Center (RADAC), LMH Health and Douglas County. The Housing Authority also will provide programs that support social inclusion, development of life skills and recreation.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority’s goals for The Cottages are to:

• Provide a safe environment
• Provide a range of support through partnerships
• Promote social inclusion
• Develop life skills
• Support residents in maintenance of their tenancies

“The Cottages are a physical representation of the collaborative, compassionate action of Douglas County,” Commissioner Kelly said. “We are a generous community that provides basic human needs for our vulnerable neighbors. We are a skilled community that provides critical services to those who are suffering. And we are a collaborative community, sharing resources across governmental entities and organizations to fulfill a collective purpose.  I am pleased to celebrate these community values realized in the opening of The Cottages on the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County.”

Schmitz, of Bert Nash, said: “We want to congratulate our behavioral health partner Lawrence-Douglas County Authority on this ribbon-cutting. This is an exciting day for our friends at the Housing Authority, for all of us who are part of the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County, and for our community. The Cottages, along with Transitions, our new transitional housing facility, will provide some of the most vulnerable among us with safe, affordable and stable housing to support them in the restoration of their lives.”

The cost of the housing project is $1.9 million and it is being funded through Housing Authority reserves and a grant from the National Housing Trust Funds.

Treanor HL was the architect for The Cottages and MarLan Construction provided construction management services.

The Cottages are located on the east end of the Treatment and Recovery Campus of Douglas County, where transitional housing and a new recovery crisis center will be located. They will serve those with serious mental illness, substance use disorders and addiction challenges.