The company that built a 65-unit supportive housing building on the campus of the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville is already making plans to expand. Mark Angelini, President of Mercy Housing Lakefront, says plans are being reviewed to double the number of housing units in Danville for homeless, at risk of being homeless, and disabled Veterans and their families.
‘’We hope to do something that’s over a little bit further to the east, and mimic the same building we have there now – so it would be another 65 units,’’ said Angelini. ‘’We all know that, obviously, the needs way outweigh what it is that we’re able to supply in terms of housing and supportive services. But all you can do is kind of chip away and put together what you can. It’s complicated to put together the development capital as well as the operating subsidies.’’
Angelini adds though that he is confident the expansion near the new ‘Cannon Place’ Apartments on the Danville VA campus will come about.
‘’I think the current investor that we have in the property, National Equity Fund, the Danville Housing Authority, as well as the VA – we would love to do a second phase here and keep the benefits accruing to as many people as we can serve,’’ said Angelini. He was commenting during an interview with VermilionCountyFirst.com News.
Angelini says the Danville location is ideal since Veterans can not only get services they need at the VA medical center, but also at Danville Area Community College. Both are located right next door to where the new housing units are located. A ribbon-cutting for the first building is scheduled Thursday, April 20th.
[Photo courtesy of Mercy Housing Lakefront.]
