- Good News Outreach is looking for partners and businesses to come alongside them to renovate units in the Maryland Oaks Crossing community.
- The units are low-cost rental properties for families, helping bridge the gap between homelessness and moving in permanent housing.
- Watch the video to find out how to inquire about a unit or how to sponsor and support this community-wide project.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Transitional housing is a crucial piece in the journey from homelessness to permanent housing. That’s why businesses and organizations are coming together to upgrade units in the Maryland Oaks Crossing community.
We're learning why investing in this neighborhood is so important and how you can get involved.
Neighbors joining hands and hearts to renovate units in the Maryland Oaks Crossing transitional housing community.
It's a neighborhood that provides low-cost rental units for families as they come out of homelessness, before they transition to permanent housing.
"It's that middle piece that we don't see a lot," said Executive Director of Good News Outreach, Talethia O. Edwards. "We talk about housing individuals but then we put them in places with rents that they can't afford and so this is a stop where it's affordable rent."
Good News Outreach is the organization that oversees this neighborhood.
"I like to call it a breathing room for families to really become stable," said Edwards. "To really see themselves and to really plan where they want to go. Do I want to enter into home ownership? Do I want to rent, right? What can I really afford?"
Edwards said transitional housing is crucial in confronting the homeless epidemic.
Businesses and organizations are coming alongside Good News Outreach to renovate these units, including groups like Safe Families.
Director, Cathy Campbell, said low cost rental units are so important right now because she's seen more communities become vulnerable to homelessness.
"We have a variety of families who are experiencing homelessness," said Campbell. "There's not one demographic that's immune, so we often see two-parent families experiencing homelessness or well-employed families experiencing homelessness."
Now they are asking more groups to join them in their short term goal to reestablish families in these upgraded units.
Long term, Edwards said she's hoping to develop permanent housing here to invest further in this neighborhood.
"We want people to be proud of where they're living," said Edwards. "So that's all a part of it as well. Aesthetics play a big part in community pride and investment."
If you’re a family looking to inquire about one of these units, you can contact Good News Outreach. There are still units that require sponsorship and support. If you’d like to get involved, you can donate manual labor or household appliances.
Contact Good News Outreach for information about units and supporting this initiative at 850-412-0016.
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