Canton Repository (9/29/24) A partnership among the city, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and ICAN Housing, a nonprofit mental health agency, will result in some new housing aimed at reducing the number of homeless residents.
Duncan Square will be built at 35th Street and Harmont Avenue NE. Construction is expected to begin next year.
The complex will consist of 12, one-story Craftsman-style units and will include case management and wrap-around supportive services, said Julie Sparks, ICAN executive director, and Sherice L. Freeman, the city’s director of community development.
Freeman said the city has committed $1,754,327 in American Rescue Plan HOME funds toward the project.
The entire project will cost $$2,400,300, which includes the complex itself, parking, curbing, sidewalk, landscape, and a special feature to be announced, Sparks said.
ICAN purchased the 1.44-acre acre site from Crossroads United Methodist Church for $50,000. The church will retain ownership of an existing building (the former James S. Thomas UMC) that it uses for its Canton For All People mission.
Why is ICAN building at 35th Street and Harmont Avenue NE?
Sparks said the location offers ideal opportunities for prospective residents, including access to jobs, public transportation and fresh food. The complex will sit just east of a Walmart, along with neighboring fast-food restaurants and other retail stores.
“In terms of the things HUD looks for, it checks all the boxes,” she said. “If we wanted to, we could build 24 to 36 units on this space, but the 12 makes it spacious, makes it green, and makes it welcoming.”
The size, Sparks said, is keeping with ICAN’s approach to offer manageable housing.
Residents will be selected from the Homeless Hotline’s central intake list, based on the greatest need.
Sparks and Freeman said bids will be accepted for construction once the funding has been received from HUD, which allocates HOME American Rescue Plan money.
“It should be coming shortly,” Freeman said. “HUD is interested in clean, safe and affordable housing and we are working to do that, from 12 units all the way up to 54 and hopefully at some points, 81 units will be coming to the city.”
The Sisters of Charity, Timken, Stark Community, Lemmon and Deuble foundations are contributing
Five local foundations also are contributing to the project: Sisters of Charity, $239,000; Timken, $168,000; Stark Community (five charitable funds), $143,000; Lemmon, $50,000; and Deuble, $47,500.
“We will be bidding this year,” Sparks said. “I don’t think it will take us 12 months.”
Sparks said the overall goal of Duncan Square and its supportive services is to ensure that formerly homeless clients stay housed. ICAN serves 2,000 clients, including providing housing for 350 to 400 people. The nonprofit owns and manages 133 residential units throughout Stark County.
“We’re helping them stay under that roof,” Sparks said of Duncan Square. “And then while they’re there, ‘What do you want to be working on? Is it employment? Is it getting back with your family? Is that your driver’s license?’ So, we also offer a workforce development program because that’s pretty key for people who want to make a move. We offer that, and supportive services. At our agency, for example, we also have a resource center where people can come and they can get clothing and food and information and any kind of help.”
Sparks said neither employment or mental health treatment are prerequisites for an apartment. Qualifying populations include people who are homeless; those who are at imminent risk of homelessness; those fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking; and those who do not qualify under any of the groups listed but who still meet a need for assistance to prevent homelessness.
“It’s called ‘Housing First.’ It’s all over the nation,'” she explained. “I can’t require you to do anything except be eligible. When you’re under a roof, you can start to heal, you can start to get over trauma, you can start to get back with your family, get that employment going, and holding that employment.”
Sparks said the overall goal of Duncan Square and its supportive services is to ensure that formerly homeless clients stay housed. ICAN serves 2,000 clients, including providing housing for 350 to 400 people. The nonprofit owns and manages 133 residential units throughout Stark County.
“We’re helping them stay under that roof,” Sparks said of Duncan Square. “And then while they’re there, ‘What do you want to be working on? Is it employment? Is it getting back with your family? Is that your driver’s license?’ So, we also offer a workforce development program because that’s pretty key for people who want to make a move. We offer that, and supportive services. At our agency, for example, we also have a resource center where people can come and they can get clothing and food and information and any kind of help.”
Sparks said neither employment or mental health treatment are prerequisites for an apartment. Qualifying populations include people who are homeless; those who are at imminent risk of homelessness; those fleeing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking; and those who do not qualify under any of the groups listed but who still meet a need for assistance to prevent homelessness.
“It’s called ‘Housing First.’ It’s all over the nation,'” she explained. “I can’t require you to do anything except be eligible. When you’re under a roof, you can start to heal, you can start to get over trauma, you can start to get back with your family, get that employment going, and holding that employment.”
“And all it really means is, it’s not just that pair of shoes or that pair of pants for the first day,” she said. “It’s when the benefit cliff hits because there’s a moment where ‘I’ve got benefits in income and then I lose benefits,’ so, actually, you’re working with less. We help people cross that, maybe with child care or with a car payment or two, whatever it might be because we found that job retention is what helps people build wealth and move on.”
Freeman said many city residents are “cost-burdened,” that is, at least 50% of their income goes to rent.
“We are going to, in the next year, provide rental assistance because that was the top of our list for our consolidated plan from 2024 to 2028,” she said. “After almost 200 participants and about 40 focus groups, we all know that we’re in a crisis of housing prices.”
Noting that that “2025 should be a fruitful year,” Freeman said that in addition to Duncan Square, the city has two other housing projects scheduled for groundbreaking:
- Newton Family Apartments by L.P., Woda Cooper Communities II and Canton For All People: Features 52 units of multi-family apartments in one four-story apartment building to be located at 1031 Tuscarawas St. W. Newton Family Apartments has been awarded a 4% low-income housing tax credit. The city of Canton awarded $2.1 million to Woda in HOME and ARPA funds. Originally, the funds were planned for the McKinley Park project. The funds were reallocated to Woda (75%) and Canton For All People (25%).
- Parkway Lofts by L.P., Spire Development and County Corp.: A 43-unit rental housing development at 1300 Christmas Seal Drive NW. Parkway Lofts was awarded 9% competitive tax credit financing through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency in February 2023. The city awarded $840,000 in HOME funds. The 100% affordable project will consist of a single four-story elevator-served building containing 13 one-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units and seven three-bedroom units.
Sparks said Mayor William V. Sherer II has been a proactive partner with ICAN.
“I think he personally drove around the community to about 10 sites,” Freeman said.
Who is Duncan Square named after?
Duncan Square is named in honor of Carol Duncan, who worked at ICAN from its founding in 1988 to 2011.
“Carol Duncan was the heart of our agency,” Sparks said. “She was a little bit of a pistol, often being arrested and such. She was the one that started the (homeless) count for our community. She’s the one that was behind a lot of the building that ICAN did early on. She just had that community spirit. She was one of those special people.”
To learn more, visit ICAN Housing at www.ican-inc.org or call 330-455-9100.