COLORADO SPRINGS — "To have our own house again is like totally a dream come true." Kimberly Broeder was homeless for three years and now is among the new residents at the Springs Rescue Mission permanent supportive housing. Greenway Flats is a newly completed complex of 65 studio style homes. The units are specifically for people in a segment of homelessness designated as chronic.
The project is a public, private and non-profit collaboration between Colorado Springs, Springs Rescue Mission, and Norwood Development. The nearly $17 million project got major support from Norwood. The group does large commercial development and this philanthropic endeavor broadens their perspective on community improvement. “Nobody gets healthy living on the streets or under a bridge,” said Norwood, President, Chris Jenkins, “We want a great city and a quality of life for everybody and if you’re going to say everybody, you better mean everybody.” Most of the project was done at cost.
The housing puts the chronically homeless in permanent homes. Travis Williams with Springs Rescue Mission explains the “supportive” element of the housing. “So, this is a big deal, this is where we're coming together providing lots of resources to ensure folks stay housed and get the help they need to improve their life." Within the apartment building there are coaches and resources to help with things like budgeting and making advances in the workforce.
