MADISON, Wis. — As the result of a decades-old friendship, Porchlight’s permanent living facility for the unhoused population will be moving to a new location over the next few years.
Through a partnership with the nonprofit and developer LZ Ventures Management, the 102-unit building Porchlight is currently using on Madison’s west side will be demolished and turned into student housing.
“What is going to replace the building here if we are successful is another big student apartment building, approximately 189 units, about 520 bedrooms,” said John Leja, principal of LZ Ventures.
In return, Leja said his company plans to build Porchlight a 70-unit building off of Blair Street and East Washington Avenue.
He said he expects the building process to start in the first quarter of 2025 and be finished in the first quarter of 2026.
“We kept looking at this building, how outdated, how beat up and how old it is,” said Leja. “The biggest issue with this building is about 90% of the units are just bedrooms.”
Porchlight’s current building was originally built in 1952 as a YMCA. Leja said because of that, it is not equipped with private kitchens and bathrooms.
He said the new building will be.
“It will be 70 studio apartments replacing 102 units of which 90 are single room occupancy,” said Leja. “It will engender a spirit of permanency, a place people want to live and are going to be able to live.”
Leja said the rent that will be paid in the permanent living facility will be 25-30% what market rent is.
Karla Thennes is the executive director of Porchlight. She said she is grateful for this partnership and the new facility.
“Our folks need to be on a bus line because our folks don’t have cars, so they need to be on a bus line and near amenities, grocery stores, doctor’s offices, employment opportunities,” said Thennes.