CHAMPAIGN – State Senator Paul Faraci joined community partners last week to celebrate the opening of Hope Village, a $9.6 million development providing 24 permanent supportive homes for Champaign County residents who are chronically unhoused and experiencing significant medical challenges.
“Hope Village is an example of what can happen when people recognize a need in their community and come together to find a solution,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home, and for those facing housing instability while managing serious medical challenges, that stability can make all the difference. I’m proud to see this vision come through in Champaign-Urbana.”
The development brings together housing, health care and support services to help residents maintain their health, regain stability and build a better future. The project was made possible through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Carle Health, Champaign County Healthcare Consumers, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and other community partners.
Hope Village features 24 single-story one-bedroom homes designed to provide residents with privacy, independence and a sense of community. Through partnerships with Carle Health and Champaign County Healthcare Consumers, residents will be better connected to medical services including preventative care, wellness visits and laboratory services.
The project also benefits the surrounding neighborhood through additional health and wellness resources. Carle Health and the University of Illinois are supporting a mobile care clinic and a produce truck to help address health care disparities and food insecurity as part of the initiative.
Faraci said the development comes at an important time for the Champaign-Urbana area, as rising housing costs and increasing housing instability continue to create challenges for residents.
“Hope Village understands that addressing housing instability takes more than just putting a roof over someone’s head,” Faraci said. “It means providing people with the resources, medical care and supportive environment they need to move forward with dignity and respect. This project takes a meaningful step toward addressing those challenges and improving lives in our community.”
Each home includes a bed, bathroom, kitchen, living space, dishwasher and private porch. Residents also have access to secure bicycle parking, walking paths and a community garden. The development is just north of downtown Champaign near mass transit, Douglass Park, Carle Foundation Hospital and other attractions, helping residents stay connected to essential services and neighborhood amenities.
