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Former Homeless Find Housing at Blue Triangle |
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"This saved my life." That is what residents of the Blue Triangle Residence Hall tell Frank Hagaman, president of Partners in Housing Development Corporation, which opened the Indianapolis project in 1998. Partners in Housing, a nonprofit organization founded in 1993, develops and manages housing for people with special needs. "We are fulfilling our mission through supportive housing: housing linked with social services, employment training, and job placement," says Hagaman. Offering 96 single-room occupancy units of decent, affordable housing as well as supportive services, Blue Triangle received a 1999 National Best Practice Award from HUD. Blue Triangle has a "double bottom line," according to Hagaman. "We must ensure it operates fiscally well by paying for itself. But it also has to meet the needs of clients and provide them with benefits," he says. Blue Triangle fills a gap in the continuum of housing for the homeless, taking them from the street to self-supported, independent living. Partners in Housing was the first organization in the city to serve this group. Indianapolis' largest supportive housing project, Blue Triangle accepts referrals for residency from social service providers and walk-in applicants. Applicants must be homeless (or at risk of becoming so), very low income, over the age of 18, not recently convicted of violent crime, free of substance abuse, and able to live independently. In addition, residents must be able to pay a $50 security deposit and $275 a month for rent. The majority of residents work at least part time. Some receive Social Security or some other type of public support. HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program pays one-half of the rent for a small number of residents. Partners in Housing also operates the Burton Apartments, which provides 23 efficiency units for formerly homeless individuals through a 10-year Shelter Plus Care grant from HUD. Providing more than housing. "Because homelessness has a myriad of complex causes, Blue Triangle provides residents with a support network to help them break out of the cycle of homelessness," says Hagaman. Residents of Blue Triangle have access to a full-time social service staff, an onsite Goodwill Career Academy, and a network of established service providers. Residents meet one on one with the social workers to set their goals and determine how to meet those needs. New residents are required to meet with the social service staff during their first 6 weeks at Blue Triangle. After that time, social services are optional for most residents. Blue Triangle holds weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and provides other antiaddiction services. Residents who violate building policy by abusing drugs may be allowed to remain if they participate in relapse prevention or recovery groups. Blue Triangle staff also teach life skills "to ensure that residents have the information they need to live independently," says Hagaman. Staff hold monthly meetings on topics such as nutrition, stress management, and budgeting. Residents can also take advantage of the services provided by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Indiana. Recreational programs include yoga and cooking classes, a Bible study group, and a recreation planning committee. An onsite Goodwill Career Academy provides employment services, such as career exploration, job-search techniques, job application/resumes and interview preparation, and job retention, to residents of Blue Triangle and Burton Apartments, neighborhood residents, and people referred by the city's department of corrections. The academy prepares an individual plan for each client to help him or her achieve his or her greatest level of self-sufficiency. In the 2 years since it opened, Blue Triangle has served more than 230 formerly homeless individuals (approximately half of them African-American men). Forty-two percent of residents are between the ages of 22 and 39, whereas 55 percent are between the ages of 40 and 64. More than 33 percent of residents report a mental health issue, 33 percent indicate a substance abuse issue, and 12 percent report problems with both. Blue Triangle's waiting list currently has an average wait of 2 weeks. Blue Triangle is located in the historic St. Joseph's neighborhood, a residential and commercial area just north of downtown Indianapolis. "Due to its location, it became a high-profile project for the city to address the housing needs of individuals with the softest voices and the least financial resources," says Hagaman. Blue Triangle is situated on a main thoroughfare close to a food market, library, schools, churches, and city government offices. Building amenities include laundry facilities, community kitchens, and 24-hour security. Partners in Housing hopes to add a low- or no-cost medical/dental clinic for their residents and the homeless. The organization is also working on a new project to address the supportive housing needs of homeless youth. Built in 1924 as the first YWCA dormitory in Indianapolis, the Blue Triangle Residence Hall was abandoned in 1971 and remained vacant for 27 years. Although the building was in very poor physical condition, residents of the St. Joseph's historic neighborhood were determined to preserve it. For many years, no viable use could be found for Blue Triangle. Then in the mid-1990s, Partners in Housing offered to restore the building and return it to its original purpose—housing people who were trying to improve their lives through work and education. The project has strong community support and is considered a neighborhood asset, according to Hagaman. Construction and renovation of the Blue Triangle, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was completed in 9 months. Assembling public/private financing. Working with public and private partners over a 21/2-year period, Partners in Housing assembled a combined financing package of $5.6 million to renovate the building. Traditional federal program funding, including CDBG and HOME and HOPWA grants from HUD, totaled more than $500,000. The Federal Home Loan Bank provided $460,000 through Bank One, Indiana, and Fifth Third Bank. The Indianapolis Foundation provided $150,000, and the Historic Landmarks Foundation gave $9,100. Partners in Housing also used low-income housing tax credits combined with federal and state historic preservation tax credits. The Indiana Housing Finance Authority allocated $4,474,000 in tax credits that leveraged $2.7 million of tax credits by local investors such as Eli Lilly, Indianapolis Power and Light, NBD Bank, National City Bank, and Key Bank. Federal historic preservation tax credits contributed $797,000, and state historic tax credits provided an additional $63,000. For more information, contact: Frank Hagaman, Partners in Housing Development Corporation, 630 North College Avenue, #302, Indianapolis, IN 46204-1692, (317) 633-1861. Or see: HUD 1999 Best Practices Awards, U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1999.
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