Beacon Inc. received approval from the Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals Thursday for its petition of to expand to a conditional use site on 1201 West Third Street.
Beacon plans to build a new two-story 45,000 square foot shelter on the 10-acre lot, which would hold day services and overnight shelter for people experiencing homelessness. The center would also include twenty permanent supportive living units.
Danielle Sorden, the housing first programs director for Beacon Inc, said it needs the new space to create housing options. The organization has funding to house forty people throughout the county, but often can’t find landlords who are willing to take their voucher.
Read more: Beacon Inc to present plans for new center to city BZA for approval
“So we have funds that are going unused and people that are staying unhoused because we don't have anywhere that we can rent for them.”
Sorden said Beacon can pay up to $850 in rent for a client, a limit set by Housing and Urban Development affordability guidelines. But the rent for a one-bedroom is typically $1,200 to $1,500 in Bloomington.
"So these 20 units are very necessary to our community, they're necessary for us to keep the level of funding that we have," she said.
Beacon Inc’s move to the West side wouldn’t happen for another two or three years, as funds are secured to complete the project.
Beacon would use 20 units worth of funding it receives for scattered sites for the project on 1201 West Third Street. It also received a 7 million dollar grant from the state, which would help fund the facility and construction.
