Youth Aging Out of Foster Care to Receive Affordable Housing

Two development teams are competing to build affordable housing on an empty lot in Madison, Wisconsin's South Park Street neighborhood. The proposed project includes up to 43 units, with a focus on providing housing for young adults aging out of the foster care system, along with supportive services.

JW Realty and Investments has proposed a $14 million, 43-unit project, while Watersview Investments Group and Youthful Savings aim to build 33 units with surface parking for 17 vehicles at a cost of $11.9 million. Both proposed projects include units for youth aging out of foster care, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. City staff will recommend one of the teams for approval, with construction expected to begin by mid-2025.

During a city Community Development Block Grant Committee meeting last week, project partner JustDane said youth would benefit from the agency’s connections in the community.

“They’re going to leave the program at 24 and they have a social system, they have a peer group, they have a support network within the community,” said JustDane executive director Linda Ketcham. Other partners in the project include Lutheran Social Services and The Road Home, a Madison agency serving the homeless.

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