MISSOULA — The Howard Group Homes may be seeing new renovations to their bathrooms, roof, and driveway in the near future thanks to a partnership between Opportunity Resource and Missoula County.
A federal grant could transform a Missoula County group home for adults with disabilities. Here's the story:
“If we receive this grant, really what it is gonna do is, between the bathrooms, the roof, and a little bit of repair, it's gonna allow us to serve individuals with disabilities in their own community for another 25 years. So that is, I mean, it's setting us up for another 25 years of service,” said Joshua Kemdrick, CEO of Opportunity Resource.
His organization has recently been working hand in hand with Missoula County to secure a federal HUD grant (a CDBG grant) for rehabilitation of the Howard Group Homes. A place that allows adults with developmental disabilities to live independently.
The HUD grant would pay $700,000 of the $900,000 cost, meaning its residents like Essen could continue leading independent lives.
“Over half of them are less than 30% of the area median income, and the other half are less than 20% of the area median income. So we're talking very low-income individuals that we're trying to provide as nice a home and as much independence as we possibly can,” said Kemdrick.
Essen says that the partnership between Opportunity Resource and Missoula County is the main reason for the potential rehabilitations.
“The county officials, the city officials, really want to see us trying to maintain the low-income housing, to maintain the affordable housing we have. And working through them on this grant has just been an amazing process, and it's been really nice to be able to have that much support coming from city and county officials,” said Kemdrick.
One of the residents who lives in the home is Patrick Essen, who moved in a year and a half ago, something that he says has brought him a sense of community, independence and happiness.
“I feel, I feel comfortable with other people who have different disabilities,” said Essen.
If all goes according to plan, then the grant is expected to be awarded around the first of next year, after which construction will begin as soon as it can.
