Talbot House Ministries will celebrate the groundbreaking of the Vermont Place Apartments, at 912 and 920 N. Vermont Avenue, on July 14 at 8 a.m. Attendance is limited but community members can watch the ceremony live on social media.
Talbot House Ministries received the Vermont Place Apartments property from the City of Lakeland last year after surpassing its fundraising goal to renovate the facility. Once completed, these 16 units will expand Talbot House’s affordable housing capacity by more than 50 percent. Talbot House clients housed in the Vermont Place Apartments will receive case management, employment training, and other wrap-around services to encourage personal responsibility and ensure their success. Doors are expected to open in December 2020 to begin serving low- and very low-income working adults, veterans, and the disabled.
Executive Director Dr. Brenda Reddout states. “Talbot House Ministries, through the Vermont Place Apartments, will help to meet that increasing need.”
According to National Low-Income Housing Coalition, “Across Florida, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low-income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI).” Affordable housing is considered affordable if it does not exceed 30 percent of a household’s income.
While the need for affordable housing was critical before the COVID-19 pandemic, loss of income and the rising prices of basic goods have intensified the pressure on cost-burdened households. By offering housing and comprehensive support to the most vulnerable members of its community, Talbot House Ministries empowers individuals to recover from extreme poverty and become self-sufficient.
Thanks to the BB&T/Truist Foundation, City of Lakeland, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, GiveWell Community Foundation, Harrell Family Charities, Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency, Polk County Board of County Commissioners, First United Methodist Church of Lakeland, and several private donors who made this land acquisition and renovations possible.