The Village of Oak Park and Housing Forward are partnering to apply for $2 million in state funds to rehabilitate The Write Inn, a temporary shelter site for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
In February, Oak Park’s village board designated $1 million to Housing Forward, a local nonprofit working to end homelessness, to support these renovations. Half came from unspent American Resue Plan Act funds. The other half was from Community Development Block Grant returned funds.
The $2 million, if granted, would come from the CDBG – Coronavirus funds, according to village officials. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity allocated a minimum of $15 million in CDBG – Coronavirus funds to shelter construction in “urban entitlement areas,” officials said. Oak Park is an entitlement community, meaning the village has its own programs and funding.
CDBG grants have certain requirements. The grant must benefit low- to moderate- income individuals, aid in prevention or eliminations of “slums” and meet a need that has urgency, according to village officials.
The funding would help bankroll construction and rehabilitation or acquisition of property for shelters for those experiencing homelessness, according to village officials. In February, village officials said the total budget to rehabilitate The Write Inn was estimated at $7.7 million. Now, officials say it could be closer to $9.4 million, but Housing Forward is still working with partners to finalize a project budget.
In addition to the village’s $1 million designated for this project, Housing Forward has $3 million from Illinois and $1.5 million earmarked from Cook County.
Housing Forward purchased The Write Inn in November 2023 with support from Cook County for $6.5 million. The property, located at 211 N. Oak Park Ave., has served as a temporary fixed shelter site since September 2020. Housing Forward serves clients from across 25 communities in western Cook County.
After renovations, Housing Forward intends for The Write Inn to have 45 rooms for adults, couples and small families in addition to 19 rooms for medical respite care, according to village officials. A portion of the units will continue to operate as the Recuperation in a Supportive Environment Center.
The units will need “substantial rehabilitation” to meet accessibility standards, according to officials.
The remodeled inn will have private rooms with showers, storage and climate control to protect residents from exposure to cold, heat or infection. The improved site will also have case management services to provide continuity of care across programs and wraparound services in areas including behavioral health and employment support, officials wrote.
Eventually, Housing Forward plans to renovate common spaces in the inn, improve laundry areas and office space, and add space for group meals, officials said in the statement. About $100,000 of the funds would likely be used to pay for the administration of the grant, according to officials.
In addition to approving the application process to help fund The Write Inn renovations, trustees also approved amendments to Housing Forward’s grant agreements with the village for affordable housing projects Tuesday evening. The amendments do not impact the total funds in the affordable housing fund, according to officials.
Trustees approved modifying the village’s grant with Housing Forward for its flexible rental assistance program from $251,341 to $340,913, an increase of almost $90,000. That money will come from decreasing the amount in a separate grant agreement with Housing Forward for its housing and rental support program from $658,082 to $568,510.
These grant agreements were two of four approved to support affordable housing in March 2023.