Dec. 20—JEFFERSON — Steps to alleviate the housing challenges facing young people in Ashtabula County have gained traction as two major funding sources, worth $1.75 million, become available, Ashtabula County Commissioner Kathryn Whittington said.
The grants will help with the possible construction of tiny homes behind the Ashtabula Township McDonalds to house young adults ages 18 to 24 who need consistent housing, Whittington said.
She said a small group of interested organizations and individuals met at the Ashtabula County YMCA in 2017 to address housing issues for young adults, but nothing came of it. This past year, a slightly larger group came together again to work on tackling the housing problem, with much better results.
Dr. Jerome Brockway, retired superintendent of Ashtabula County Vocational School, said he became involved in the process after seeing how many students in the Youth Opportunities program lacked permanent housing.
He said dozens of young people were couch surfing or homeless. Brockway said he wanted to be part of a program that helped alleviate the problem.
“It’s very exciting,” Whittington said. “I have been working with Youth Opportunities for years.”
The Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners received an allocation of $250,000 from the Ohio Capital Improvement budget and $1.5 million through the 2024 Affordable Housing Program.
Whittington said a proposed project to create 10 tiny homes for individual people to live in would cost about $3 million. She said the project will likely be downsized to five or six homes and almost fully funded.
The next step in the process will be to create a 501(c)(3) corporation for the project. She said a current 501(c)(3), through the Pentecostal Communion Church, is being used as the project gets underway.
It will likely take six months to create the new 501(c)(3), and then there will be an independent board of directors, if all goes as planned, Whittington said.
“We are honored to work with all parties involved to make this project possible, and to build a long-lasting relationship that will meet the urgent needs of our youth,” said Scott Ardary, Senior Pastor of the Pentecostal Community Church. “Our goal is to help underprivileged youth become productive members of society.
“This is an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness in our community, especially among the youth who are often overlooked. With the collaboration of our county commissioners, local partners and committed community members, we are confident this initiative will have a meaningful impact and provide a brighter future for these young people.”
The $1.5 million comes from a 10% portion of the Affordable Housing Program for specific housing options in the form of a grant, not a loan.
Whittington said Ashtabula County Land Bank Director Alex Iarocci proposed the grant.
“The receipt of the grant, coupled with funding from the state, will provide an opportunity to provide transitional housing to homeless youth and young adults in the county,” Brockway said.
He said a structured environment that gives homeless youth and young adults the opportunity to acquire life skills, education, employment and skills development is important.
Whittington said there will be a coordinator on site to assist the youth, and there will be a community space and center for provincial agency services to help with education, employment and skills development.
Current partners include the commissioners, the church, Ashtabula County Job and Family Services, A-Tech, the Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, the Ashtabula County Land Bank, Ashtabula County Environmental Services, Ashtabula County Department of Planning and Development, Ashtabula County Building Department, Sunset Transportation and Youth Opportunities.
Whittington said Youth Opportunities will be the lead agency in referring individuals, but they can come from social service organizations and churches in the area.
Discussions have begun with the Ashtabula Township Zoning Department, Whittington said.
She said if all goes well, the project could happen sometime in 2025.
The proposed houses would be 420 square meters in size and have three rooms.
Ardary said he is passionate about the project. He said he came to Pennsylvania through the foster system and wants to provide opportunities for youth to become successful citizens and not just have a place to stay.
He said he envisions 25 to 50 homes being built in the long term.
