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JUN 24, 2021  4:22 PM

MANCHESTER — Officials joined Community Health Resources representatives Thursday to open the Promise House Apartments in Manchester, a building designed to provide housing to young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the Greater Hartford area.

The project is just one of a handful of similar programs nationwide targeting the specific needs of young adults. Rather than phase children out of the system, CHR is hoping to help phase them into adulthood.

Funded by the Department of Housing, Promise House Apartments will welcome young adults between the ages of 18 to 25. The building consists of 12 fully furnished efficiency apartments, an onsite laundry room and common areas for group activities, job training, teaching basic life skills and more.

An interior view from one of the 12 units in a new apartment building designed to help young adults experiencing homelessness. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com
An interior view from one of the 12 units in a new apartment building designed to help young adults experiencing homelessness. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

CHR staff will be onsite daily offering tenants resources for education, occupational assistance and health care services. A 13th apartment will house a site advisor, who will provide support and emergency assistance as needed.

“As a behavioral health care provider, we deeply appreciate that young adulthood is a pivotal time in life and that young adult services are different than other age groups. We wanted Promise House to provide a welcoming, home-like environment and help to connect the tenants with the services they need,” Heather Gates, president and CEO of CHR, said.

Gates emphasized that Promise House is not a group home or clinical facility. Though support services are provided by CHR, tenants are not required to use them.

Visitors walk through the lobby of the Promise House apartments in Manchester. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com
Visitors walk through the lobby of the Promise House apartments in Manchester. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)

In addition, the apartments are rent-free; tenants will be asked to sign, but are not restricted to, a 12-month lease. During that time, residents will learn about their state rights and responsibilities as a tenant in order to eventually smoothly transition to a healthy future.

“Promise House builds on CHR’s long history of comprehensive provider on behavioral health services, including supportive housing. We have a strong record of helping individuals achieve employment, increase their income, complete education and training programs and not return to homelessness,” Gates said.

CHR stated that the first nine tenants will be moving into the facility on July 1, 2021. Referrals for the remaining three slots are still being accepted.
News article can be found at: https://www.courant.com/community/manchester/hc-news-manchester-housing-youth-apartments-20210624-wbcy2r7l7vcqlobq6ohkyusvo4-story.html

Do you have additional questions? Please contact us at MHFA@chrhealth.org