The purchase of a Connect Transit lot in Bloomington keeps shelter village construction on schedule and within budget.
On June 13 the Connect Transit Board of Trustees held a special meeting to discuss the sale of one of its lots near downtown Bloomington. The board approved that $250,000 sale to Home Sweet Home Ministries [HSHM], with a closing date of June 27.
Although a 2023 market study showed a suggested asking price of about $285,000, Connect Transit managing director David Braun said HSHM was not given a discount.
“We were just looking for fair market value, and we believe that we've gotten that with that offer,” Braun said.
HSHM CEO Matt Burgess said the price of the lot was well within their capital budget.
The lot
The lot was previously being used as a storage site for the City of Bloomington.
Connect Transit was renting out the location on a month-to-month basis so the city could store public works equipment.
Burgess said there would be no entanglements with the city because of this transaction.
"Since we first brought this property to the city's attention, they have said that they can discontinue that and relocate all of the stuff that they've been storing on that lot without much difficulty," Burgess said.
Now, the lot will be the site for a shelter village, called The Bridge, run by HSHM.
The Bridge is intended to be a low-barrier, non-congregate shelter for the unhoused population in Bloomington-Normal.
Building The Bridge
“We will get construction started as soon as humanly possible,” Burgess said.
Burgess said he has already begun speaking with the general contractor and has submitted permits to the City of Bloomington.
Even with the lot purchased and a behavioral health grant secured, funds are still needed to build The Bridge.
Burgess said in the coming weeks HSHM will launch a “Build The Bridge” campaign, asking the community for donations.
“We're looking to raise about $750,000 through that campaign really to allow the community that's been so supportive of this project to have the opportunity to be part of getting The Bridge built,” Burgess said.
The construction of The Bridge is not contingent on community donations. Burgess said, “We'll get to our total dollar amount one way or the other.”
This puts the shelter village on track to have an opening date sometime in December.
“So as things start to get cold, that's when we will be opening, hopefully,” Burgess said.
Present day
Right now temperatures across Bloomington-Normal are on the other side of the spectrum as an extreme heat wave sweeps through Central Illinois.
Burgess said HSHM’s street outreach team is continuing to provide essential supplies to those living unhoused.
“So right now it's a lot of water,” Burgess said, “and make sure that they have the ability to get into cooling stations during the day. So we'll bring people to The Junction or direct them to the libraries or other identified cooling centers across town.”
When The Bridge is constructed, it is intended to provide new opportunities to unhoused and unsheltered community members seeking a path to stable, permanent housing.
