An apartment building with 51 single-room occupancy units in Lemon Creek, intended for low-income people recovering from substance abuse, received a conditional-use permit with the unanimous approval of the Juneau Planning Commission on Tuesday night.
The three-story building is intended to be the first in a multi-phase project — including a second similar apartment complex — on a five-acre wooded lot in the Lemon Flats neighborhood that borders the creek, according to documents submitted by Gastineau Human Services, a local nonprofit corporation which provides a range of services to residents experiencing homelessness, released from prison and other situations where they seeking transitional living support.
The lot is adjacent to the nonprofit’s current campus that currently houses about 80 people, according to Executive Director Jonathan Swinton.
“(They’re) in a position where no one’s given them a chance, and we’re helping them realize that there are some people who believe in them and that they can change,” he said during a benefit show to raise funds for the organization on Saturday night.
The current facilities include a 40-bed halfway house for people coming out of the correctional system, 19-bed residential substance abuse treatment program and 20-bed transitional living facility for people trying to emerge from homelessness where they can stay for up to 18 months. The new building is specifically intended for people in substance abuse recovery, according to a planning and design narrative submitted by MRV Architects on behalf of the nonprofit.
“The design will utilize trauma-informed design principles, such as removing environmental stresses, supporting self reliance, providing daylight and connection to nature, providing personal privacy, reinforcing a sense of personal identity, and promoting the opportunity for choice while balancing the needs and safety of others,” the narrative states. “These principles will be addressed through construction details controlling sound transmission, provisions of views, and comfortable site features and buffers.”
At least 25% of the units will be equipped to meet Americans With Disabilities Act standards, including grab bars and other installations, according to the application.
The conditional-use permit was approved without discussion by the Planning Commission as part of its consent calendar. Swinton said the hope is to start construction next May and complete the work during the following 12 to 15 months.
A major remaining issue is funding for the project, which is expected to cost $11.5 million. The Juneau Assembly approved a $2 million grant in May, which Swinton says will help secure other loans and grants including a $3 million loan from Des Moines Federal Home Loan Bank and $5 million in Congressionally Designated funds.
The project will also need a building permit from the city. The conditional-use permit states that, among other things, Gastineau Human Services needs to provide a snow-removal plan and an exterior lighting plan designed to “minimize offsite glare.”
An assessment of the project by Juneau’s Community Development Department concludes the project will not significantly impact traffic in the neighborhood, which consists of a mixture of commercial and industrial properties.
“No information has been submitted that suggests the proposal will reduce property values in the surrounding area,” the assessment adds, noting no public comments were received during the permit review process.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
