LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville’s “Hope Village,” the city’s outdoor safe space and shelter for houseless residents, is marking one year in operation.
Angel Todd, Director of Operations at Hope Village, said the last year has shown her Hope Village is changing lives every day.
In large, the outdoor safe space for homeless residents serves as a short or longer term respite for individuals pursing stable housing.
“Success is if the residents want to go into housing and we get them into housing, that is success. If one of our residents is safe, has a bit of stability, is getting their needs met here that’s also a success story for us," said Todd. “What we have learned over the past year is safety and stability first and then people want to do housing. Many of our residents who are now moving into housing didn’t really get there until they were with us for about seven or eight months."
Aundrea Thomas says he's doing, “Really good! Really good.”
Thomas moved in shortly after Hope Village opened and is thankful for what it offers, and proud of the progress he’s made in his own life.
“It’s a good thing they got this going because people because if people don’t have nowhere to go it’s a good place to start to get a second chance," the 63-year-old said.
Thomas and his neighbors live in sturdy tent shelters with electricity and heat. Todd is excited to announce in the coming weeks these tents will be swapped out with prefab shelters donated by CVS.
“It will be soon and once we are renovated and moved in, we are going to open up our doors to the community and have the biggest spring house warming for this new renovation," Todd said.
Hope Village is a pilot program, launched by the Greg Fischer administration and now under Mayor Craig Greenberg, Todd is confident in their city partnership moving into Year 2.
“Just yesterday, on presenting his budget, he spent a lot of time talking about the work at the Hope Village and his desire to continue to support the work that’s going here," Todd said.
Aundrea Thomas said he continues to recommend to others facing homelessness to consider Hope Village.
“I always tell them about it and tell them to come in, talk to a few people and see if they can’t get in...," Thomas said. "It’s well worth it."