Homes for the homeless the focus of Legacy Village project

June 1, 2018 at 4:15 pm brownwoodnewsstaff

By Ben Cox – Rather than discuss the areas homeless situation, a group of people have made it their mission to help, and if possible eliminate homelessness in Brownwood.

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Brown County Home Solutions has been working towards preventing homelessness from ever happening, get homeless into permanent housing as soon as possible, and provide shelter for the chronically homeless.

Brown County Home Solutions director Angela Bostick says the group helps in several ways. “Whether through rental assistance, collaborating with other organizations, mediating with the landlord, or working with family issues.”

A church building donated to the group on Avenue D, as well as 2 lots next to and behind the building, are being transformed into the first stages of a neighborhood designed to get those who are struggling back on their feet.

The first 1 bedroom home at Legacy Village is almost complete and ready for its first resident

Legacy Village will feature one and two bedroom open concept homes that will serve as a springboard back to self sustainability for those who are having trouble supporting themselves. The idea for individual homes came about after the cost of renovating the donated church into a dorm type structure was too high.

The first of the homes is almost complete, and the slab for the second has already been poured. While small, they are not “tiny homes” as seen on TV. Bostick says “We are zoned where we can build houses, but the city code doesn’t allow for the tiny homes” which are under 450 square feet.

16 houses are planned for the property, along with a Wash-a-teria in a portion of the church building. A meeting hall and community center for Village residents is also part of the plan.

Brown County Home Solutions director Angela Bostick stands in the kitchen of Legacy Village’s first home

Possible tenants will “currently live in Brown County, may not be sex offenders due to the location of the site, and must be willing to move towards self sufficiency.” Bostick estimates the average stay for tenants will be approximately a year, with applications being judged on a case by case basis.

$110,000 is needed to complete four more houses, which will be built by Texas Baptist Men this September. Bostick is also arranging meals and RV spaces for the 20 to 30 builders.

Donations can be made by calling 325-998-2425, emailing Angela Bostick at connect@bchstx.org, or via mail to PO Box 952, Brownwood, Tx 76804