Contingent upon Wilmington City Council’s action, the former site of Wilmington Fire Station 6 will soon transform into Permanent Supportive Housing for chronically homeless adults with disabilities, including seniors and veterans, thanks to a partnership between the City of Wilmington and Good Shepherd Center – the largest provider of homeless services in the region.
The Wilmington Planning Commission will consider a request to rezone the property, located at 3939 Carolina Beach Road, from R-15 to MD-17 at its Aug. 3 meeting. If the Planning Commission recommends approval, the city will begin the procurement process to demolish the existing structures. Following the Planning Commission meeting, Council will vote to donate the nearly 1-acre parcel of property to Good Shepherd for redevelopment with the purpose of providing up to 33 safe, affordable housing units paired with intensive case management services to those in need.
The city and Good Shepherd have previously partnered on a similar project with great success; the SECU Lakeside Reserve provides 40 units of Permanent Supportive Housing with on-site case management and services like transportation, counseling, and skills training.
“Good Shepherd is honored and excited to work with the city to address one of the more acute areas of our local affordable housing crisis—housing for residents whose special needs have contributed to their lack of income, housing instability, and long-term homelessness,” said Katrina Knight, Executive Director. “Together we have already demonstrated that, with the right targeted housing intervention, even the most fragile of our neighbors can be helped to achieve long-term housing stability, drastically reduced reliance on the ER and hospital system, and a return to the improved health, mental health, and overall well-being that come with having a place to call home. We are grateful for the city’s investment in national best practices that continue to achieve what we believe to be the ultimate outcome—an end to chronic homelessness even for those with significant disabilities, without income, and without hope for realizing a true quality of life.”
Providing affordable housing opportunities for residents represents more than two decades of financial commitment from the city. That commitment is bearing results with more than $52 million invested and nearly 1300 affordable housing units created including ownership and rentals.
“Housing affordability is of paramount importance and something we’re working to make a reality for people from all walks of life,” Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo said. “By leveraging existing city resources, we aim to build on the success of our partnership with the Good Shepherd Center so that more people will have access to safe shelter and vital services. Strong community partnerships and innovative approaches are helping Wilmington to lead the way in this critical work.”
In 2019, the Wilmington Fire Department vacated Station 5 on Wellington Avenue and Station 6 on Carolina Beach Road and consolidated services into the new Station 5 on Shipyard Boulevard.
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