After years of planning, Alachua County cut the ribbon on Tuesday on two permanent housing facilities for people experiencing homelessness.
The county bought the former Budget Inn in 2021 and the Scottish Motel next door in 2023.
Renovations began last year and these motels were turned into 67 studios and one-bedroom apartments that are now available for the homeless community to rent. County officials say while the units will be too small for families, they'll be perfect for single people or couples.
The buildings also got new names; they’re now called Forest Edge and East Tumblin Creek. Tenants in the new units will be required to sign a lease and work with case managers, although the rent is flexible based on the person’s income.
Alachua County Commissioner Anna Prizzia said people who live there will get access to case management to provide “wrap-around support” -- everything from getting a driver's license to accessing medical care or VA benefits.
"Many of these people haven't had a roof over their heads in a decade, and so for them to relearn the everyday things about managing a house, about taking care of the things that you own,” she said. “It really is kind of a full service type of approach."
Commissioner Ken Cornell said it's especially important to provide these units now that one of the two homeless shelters in Gainesville closed its doors.
"Seeing places like St. Francis House actually closing down their services doesn't replace the need for those services,” Cornell said.
The county received $10 million in state and federal grants to fund the purchase of the two properties and the subsequent renovations, in addition to using some county funds. They partnered with the Continuum of Care in Alachua County as well as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, who supplied some of the funding, and the county housing authority, who will oversee the property management.
