Lakeland Loan Will Help Gospel Village Add 72 Apartments

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Lakeland city commissioners on Monday approved a $685,000 deferred loan to expand Gospel Village, a community east of downtown for those transitioning from homelessness.

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“This is extremely exciting,” said Mayor Pro Tem Stephanie Madden, adding that affordable housing has been a top priority for some city commissioners “from the beginning” of their terms in office.

Staff and commissioners had to make changes to city code to allow for additional mobile homes and for other mobile home parks to be able to replace aging homes with newer ones.

Growing need and expansion: The Gospel Village property stretches southwest from the intersection of Main Street and North Lake Parker Avenue and currently includes 35 units in fixed buildings, mobile homes and campers.

Gospel Inc., a nonprofit organization is developing a second phase at its village, consisting of three two-story buildings, with 24 one-bedroom units in each, a total of 72 units.

In October, Gospel Inc. officials broke ground on the first two new buildings at the village, with 48 units and an estimated completion within a year to 18 months. The apartments are 500 to 550 square feet each.

Funding: The $685,000 is coming from the federal American Rescue Plan Act’s HOME Investment Partnership Program. In 2021, the federal government appropriated $5 billion nationwide to provide housing, services and shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations.

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Lakeland received $1.4 million from the program. In March 2022, the City Commission unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s One Year Action Plan to use the funds for the development of affordable rental housing and associated administration costs.

Two low-income complexes: In 2023, the city’s housing division received two applications for funding: one for Griffin Lofts and the other for Gospel Village.

The City Commission approved Griffin Lofts’ funding agreement in September 2023. That project, located near Home Depot in north Lakeland, is nearing completion and consists of 60 units in a four-story building. It includes:

• 38 one-bedroom/one-bathroom apartments.
• 22 two-bedroom/two-bathroom apartments.
• 20% of the units for individuals or households at or below 40% of the Area Median Income.
• 80% for those at or below 60% AMI.

The median household income in Lakeland was estimated to be $60,947 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Forty units at Gospel Village will serve those at or below 30% of the area’s median income – or $18,300 annually.

The agreement between Gospel Village and the city is a deferred loan and requires that the units constructed by Gospel Inc. must be utilized for affordable housing for at least 20 years. As long as Gospel Inc. meets the requirements of the agreement, the loan will be forgiven at the end of the 20 years.

What it is: Gospel Village is one of several places in downtown Lakeland that is helping people transition from homelessness to having a place of their own.

It is nestled in a park-like setting with trees, gardens and gathering places for residents.

There is a community vegetable garden, hen house with resident chickens, a large sculpture of a hand holding a heart and staff available to help residents with things like looking for a job, applying for documents and filling out paperwork. A life-skills group meets once a week and there is also a prayer group.

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“A lot of residents come from childhood trauma,” said Brooke Allen, Gospel Inc.’s events and communications coordinator. “By teaching them how to cope, we can see the transformation in them.”

The organization formed a dozen years ago when Southeastern University students served hotdogs to those in need. Over the years, it grew and about six years ago, the village was formed.

“Our core values are God, community, home and purpose,” Allen said. “We want to be able to give them a key to a house and a plate of food, but also a community because we see that brings real change.”

Most of the residents come from shelters like Talbot House, Lighthouse Ministries and Salvation Army, which also offer transitional housing. Some come directly off of the streets. Those who aren’t officially in the program can spend time in the village, knowing it’s a safe place.

Rent: Residents pay 40% of their income to rent. If they don’t have a job or don’t receive government benefits like a military pension, Social Security or disability, they can work in the village to pay for their housing.

The garden and local food banks provide nourishment. There is a community laundry and a community pavilion, where residents gather in the evening and talk.

Plans for more units: Just prior to the 6-0 vote, Gospel Inc. Executive Director Ray Steadman thanked the commissioners on behalf of the board of directors, staff, the residents “and those chronically homeless that slept on the streets last night.”

He added that they have plans to add a tiny home to their property, which would bring the total units to 120.

“Our goal is to address chronic homelessness,” Steadman said. “It’s the most difficult part of the homeless population to address, but we have a plan, and with your support, we know that we’ll be able to be very effective.”

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