LINCOLN, NEB. (May 1, 2008)—The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded $100,000 in Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) money to CenterPointe Housing Corporation I to build a ten-unit, fully handicapped accessible apartment complex for people disabled by serious mental illness and in need of support services for independent living.
The project also includes an $882,100 loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, $140,000 from the city of Lincoln’s HOME fund, a $200,000 donation from Region V and a $5,444 donation from CenterPointe, Inc. The 7,267-sq. ft. structure will feature ten apartments and a community room. Each 540 sq. ft. apartment will include a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. All apartments, which will rent for $344 monthly, will include a range/oven, refrigerator, carpet, drapes, air conditioning and disposal, and access to laundry facilities located in a common area.
CenterPointe will provide residents with outpatient counseling and off- and on-site supportive services through their existing case managers depending on residents’ needs and preferences.
The community room will include a kitchenette, coin-operated laundry facility, bathroom, storage room, mechanical room and computer lab. Residents will be able to use it for social and recreational activities, family gatherings and educational offerings.
Located on Overland Trail Road in the Flat Iron Crossing Subdivision, the development is centrally located on a bus route, adjacent to a city park, and within walking distance of a grocery store, pharmacy and other amenities.
CenterPointe Housing Corporation I is an independent, 501(c)3 organization that works in conjunction with CenterPointe, Inc., a nonprofit agency that specializes in helping people with substance use and mental health disorders. Approximately 300 people with chronic mental illness are currently served by CenterPointe, Inc., in Lincoln. Before entering CenterPointe, most clients lived on the streets, in homeless shelters, with family members or in institutions, such as the Regional Center. Some lived in assisted living settings, including group homes. Many clients and others waiting have expressed a personal preference to move into an apartment with a roommate or alone. However current housing availability and rental costs seldom allow individuals to choose their living options.
Most people served by CenterPointe are in the 15 to 20 percent range of the area median income. The subsidized rents for this Section 811 Program will allow tenants to pay only 30 percent of their income for rent—primarily from Social Security Income—making their living costs more consistent with the greater community.
For project information, contact Topher Hansen with CenterPointe Housing Corp. at 402-475-8717, or Dennis Hoffman with CenterPointe, Inc. at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT
Patty Wood at 800-426-6505, 402-471-1559, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it