Thanks to a generous donation, the Lt. Col. Matt Urban Human Services Center of WNY made a huge step forward in realizing construction of their next supportive housing project for homeless individuals and families.
Yesterday, Congressman Brian Higgins and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York announced a $1.36 million grant to the East Side agency to help finance the Hope House project, which will convert the former Public School No. 57 located at 243 Sears Street in the Fillmore District into a hub of supportive services and permanent housing for homeless women and women with children. The site is located directly behind the Matt Urban Center’s headquarters at 1081 Broadway.
“This project will convert a community eyesore into a quality, affordable, safe and secure housing for homeless women and their children,” said Marlies Wesolowski, executive director of the Matt Urban Center. “It will provide the much needed and necessary support services for its occupants and their children, giving them a fresh start in life and renewed hope for their future.”
Hope House will merge the services two of the center’s homeless support facilities – the Matt Urban Hope Center currently located at 385 Paderewski Drive and the Hope House shelter located at 586 Genesee Street – into one central location. The project will include a homeless shelter for approximately 50 single women and/or women with children; eighteen units of permanent supportive housing for homeless single women; a community health clinic; the Matt Urban Hope Center and Urban Diner by Friends of the Night People, and a large food pantry. The affordable apartment units will target very-low income tenants. Residents will also be able to receive in-house case management and employment counseling.
“The Matt Urban Center’s Hope House project meets a community need through a collaborative effort that will change lives and truly give new hope to the women it serves,” said Congressman Higgins. “This $1.36 million federal investment through the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York provides a substantial base from which the project will move forward.”
Funding was provided as an addition to the Federal Home Loan Bank’s 2014 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant round. The Matt Urban Center worked collaboratively with M&T Bank to submit an application for the funding.
“M&T Bank is pleased to build upon our long-standing partnership and support the vision of Marlies Wesolowski and her team at the Lt. Col. Matt Urban Center,” said Brad Dossinger, Community Reinvestment Act Officer for M&T. “This is a great reuse for the building and we appreciate the support of Congressman Higgins and our partners at the FHLB in approving our application for this investment in the Buffalo community.”
The project development team includes Savarino construction, general contractor; Flynn Battaglia, architect; Cannon, Heyman and Weiss, attorney; and Oxford Consulting, Inc. as development consultant. The Matt Urban Center is continuing to work at obtaining funds for the project’s completion. The FHLB grant will be used to leverage other funds that are pending and forthcoming. The agency hopes to be able to open the new Hope House facility within the next two years.