What’s the status of the MissionView Village project?
Our project is continuing to find significant support and our fundraising efforts for 2023 collected a little over $200,000 towards our $1.3 million goal. We are confident that this project will significantly impact the growing homeless population in our community by creating a supportive housing program for seniors on a low fixed income. After consulting with our team we are making some shifts in direction that we would like to keep in front of everyone and we would ask for your prayers as we move forward.
The property that we originally sought to explore as a building sight, located right next to our thrift store on Foundry Street may simply not be the best location to build upon. It’s not that we couldn’t build on it, but the overall cost to make it ready to build upon will likely be far too expensive. Additionally, due to it’s current zoning, proximity to the railroad, and the total amount of improvements that would be required (connecting to sewer, adding proper drainage, adding sidewalks, etc.), we feel that committing to this property would be a poor management of resources.
The bottom line is that we’re confident that we will be able to build something more substantial if we can find a property in a residential zoning. So we are on the hunt!
Once we have a piece of land that we can get in front of our engineers then we can reassess our options, but our goal is to not have to build smaller than our original proposal because the need is so great. Of course this may influence our projected cost to build but in the end our real savings will have been in the program management. Every outcome that includes private funding, reduced homelessness, community engagement, and God being glorified in Grants Pass is a leap in the right direction.
There are some ideas that are simply so good that someone has to make it happen. We believe that MissionView Village is one of those ideas! As God provides, we will see 2024 be a year of blessing for everyone in Grants Pass.
By: Brian Bouteller, Executive Director