FCC awarded $1M grant, HUD: Grant will support safe, affordable housing for Poplar Bluff patients

In 2007, HUD officials helped Family Counseling Center, Inc., announce the opening of a Safe Haven in Kennett, that offered the community an innovative eight-bed facility to serve the homeless, disabled in Dunklin County. File photo

FCC became involved in housing services in 2000, which was not traditional to the kind of help that clients receive from the organization, according to Chief Financial Officer Shawn Sando.

The company identified, that without safe and affordable housing, the clients were unable to properly recover.

The first project funded by HUD was in 2005 that supplied the organization with funds to provide rental assistance to persons with serious mental disabilities, according to Sando.

In 2007, the organization gained another grant from HUD, which was used to build and open the Safehaven building to persons in need of the facility.

"Because of the lack of rent places available, we wanted to build an Independent Living Center in Butler County," Sando said.

The organization serves approximately 1,000 clients in the county that suffer from serious mental illnesses, Sando added. The Living Center will consist of nine one-bedroom units to be available to very low income, chronically mentally ill residents. Also, there will be another one-bedroom unit for the Resident Manager. The three buildings will be single story and wood framed, with each unit consisting of a kitchen or dining area, living room, bedroom, and bath. The design of the building will incorporate universal design to include dimensioned corridors, doorways, counter heights, and will be wheelchair accessible.

"Senator Bond has always been active in supporting HUD, and we thank the Senator for helping to bring the project to the area," Sando said.

Also, Sando added that the organization would like to thank the Poplar Bluff City Council and mayor for zoning the property and supporting the organization, and U.S. Representative JoAnn Emerson for providing a letter of support for the project.

"Construction will most likely begin later in the year, probably early fall," Sando said.

Residents will be picked upon a first come, first serve basis, as long as they meet the requirements, Sando noted. The two main requirements are that the individual suffers from a serious chronic mental illness, and that they fall into the income level category required by HUD.

Once the spaces have been filled with residents, the organization will develop a waiting list for people still interested. As individuals move out of the center, the next on the waiting list will be given the opportunity to move in.

"Our long term goal for these individuals is recovery," Sando said. "Full recovery would allow them to return to independent living."

Although this is the long term goal, no time limit will be set on the housing, according to Sando.

"Individuals take different amounts of time to recover from illness, this causes a time limit on housing to be impossible," Sando said.