ROANOKE, Va. – Trinity United Methodist Church in Southwest Roanoke is being transformed into affordable apartments for seniors.
“The historic features that we think are the most important to this building will still be here, and what we’re hoping, in the end, is the provision of really critical housing for our city’s most vulnerable populations,” said Restoration Housing’s Executive Director Isabel Thornton.
Restoration Housing, a nonprofit that preserves historic and vacant buildings, is transforming the space into 15 apartment units for seniors.
“Our mission is to provide affordable housing. So, first and foremost, we knew we were going to turn this building into affordable housing when we went into partnership with the church last year, but we looked to the needs in the community to tell us what we think we should put in as affordable housing, like what demographic do we target? Is it families that make 60 percent of the area median income, and in this particular instance, we saw the need in the community was highest for elderly populations,” said Thornton.
There will be apartment units to support elderly residents with disabilities, and seven will be for people coming out of homelessness through a partnership with Commonwealth Catholic Charities. Thornton said it will be permanent supportive housing, meaning they can stay in this housing indefinitely.
“And then the other remaining eight units will be designated for elderly residents who make below the area median income but might have some income and obviously might have been previously housed as well, and that’s in partnership with the Roanoke Housing Authority because they’ll help us provide vouchers that keep those rents affordable,” said Thornton.
Director of Housing Services Brian Burnette with Counsel of Community Services said homelessness is a huge problem in Roanoke City.
“I run a couple of housing programs for homeless individuals and those who are at risk of becoming homeless, and we’ve noticed over the last five to seven years a distinct increase in the number of homeless individuals over the age of 55 and over the age of 65. There were over 450 people who entered the homeless system who are over the age of 55 in 2024,” said Burnette.
The apartments will be about $900 a month, including all utilities. The apartments are scheduled to be finished next year.
Published February 18, 2025 on WSLS 10 by Keisha Lynn.
