Each year, Erie’s charitable and government sectors work together to house around 400 households. However, about 100 people remain on the "Erie master list," individuals with severe service needs such as mental health and addiction challenges. Seventy-five percent of them have a disabling condition. By implementing the Housing First model, we aim to meet the unmet needs of this population. Building a community that serves those with the deepest needs ensures a compassionate, scalable system that can serve everyone.

Everyone deserves a safe and stable home. Instead of forcing individuals to navigate multiple waiting lists while unhoused, we are creating a pathway that addresses both housing and health. Research shows that our brains need a secure, permanent place to heal from trauma—living in transition is hard. A lease in your name represents stability. We also know that, in addition to housing stability, people with severe mental illness and those in recovery need intensive supportive services. Let’s build permanent housing with supportive services, where people can find safety and health.

People will be referred from the Erie Home Team, which manages the central wait listing for people experiencing homelessness, to these supportive housing units. Clients will sign a lease and can stay as long as they follow the terms of that lease. They will be matched with intensive supportive services to work on the root causes of their homelessness. Rent will be affordable, and tenants are responsible for a portion of their rent.

Of course. From the outset, our Planning Group worked directly with individuals experiencing homelessness to understand how to co-create a solution. In early 2024, our Action Team held focus groups and listening sessions to ask specific questions to guide our implementation phase.

In Spring 2024, the Erie School District listed its administrative building, formerly Washington School, and surrounding parking lots for public bid. Seeing the potential of this space for housing and integrated supportive services, BUILD CDC put forward bids. No other entity bid on the building, and BUILD was fortunate to acquire all of the land for sale. In 2019, BUILD transformed the vacant Wayne School on Erie’s Eastside into a vibrant community hub. BUILD will oversee the existing building's development, while CHN Housing Partners will develop the parking lots into a new supportive housing building. Both are committed to being good neighbors as they work to revitalize the underutilized lots and create housing opportunities for our neighbors.

It is estimated that it will take $20M in additional funding (above the use of low-income housing tax credits) to support the capital needs to build the 72 units at Washington Square and the intensive supportive services that will work with clients. The Leadership Team is committed to fundraising this amount from diverse sources, including local donors, businesses, foundations, and public sources. The capital needs are going to be collected into a new innovative funding strategy - the Infinite Erie Investment Fund. This will provide low-interest loans to kickstart a capital project. This Fund will begin by supporting the Housing First Erie initiative and intends to grow to support many housing and community development projects across Erie County. If you would like to donate to support this initiative, please reach out to Erie Community Foundation.