Vera French’s latest housing project not only will expand housing options for those living with mental illness, but more importantly, will help them “get their lives back,” its leaders say.
Joined by a crowd of more than 100 guests, leaders, staff and members of the Quad Cities mental health organization broke ground Thursday, Sept. 12, on Carol’s Village Gardens, a $10 million, housing complex. Gathered outside Vera French’s Carol Center at 808 Harrison St. – and next to the active construction site in the heart of central Davenport – the entire crowd participated in the celebratory groundbreaking by either scooping shovels of dirt or posing in the many group photographs commemorating the milestone.
“We want this to be a beautiful addition to the community and an asset to the community,” Dr. Rich Whitaker, the CEO of Vera French Community Mental Health Center, said minutes before the ceremony.
Carol’s Village Gardens (CVG) not only aims to provide new, affordable, safe and accessible housing for the future residents, he said but with its proximity to Carol Center the residents also will have access to its wide range of supportive services.
Carol Center, operated by Vera French Community Mental Health, offers services to help enhance mental health including helping homeless people find homes, providing medication management, assisting members in job searches, offering treatment and recovery services, and social engagement opportunities.
Dr. Whitaker said CVG residents will have access to “a treatment team, the members’ clubhouse, supportive services and a food pantry, all right here in one place.”
“With our support, they can get back into the workforce, and get their lives back that were taken away by a mental health illness,” he told the QCBJ. “It’s all about getting their lives back and being successful.”
‘An army of people’ involved
Five years in the making, CVG is the result of a collective effort by Vera French Community Mental Health and its subsidiaries, Vera French Foundation and Vera French Housing as well as local and state funding partners. The $10 million housing complex is being built by Davenport-based Russell.
To have construction already underway and celebrating the building’s start “is amazing,” Dr. Whitaker said. “It was a lot of work by an army of people who’ve been involved in getting us to this point.”
The project is being built on a vacant part of a block that Vera French acquired from the defunct United Neighbors organization, whose headquarters became Carol’s Center, he said. In May of 2023, Vera French completed an expansion of the Harrison Street facility by adding a second floor on the rear to create additional office space and the clubhouse. It also opened the new Vera French Clinic at Duck Creek in Bettendorf in October of last year.
“It’s not just about creating affordable housing,” Dr. Whitaker said, adding offering support is just as critical. “People run into problems.”
Affordable housing option
When completed in the summer or fall of 2025, CVG will boast 26 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments. Six units, he said, will be dedicated for “people coming out of homelessness.” He expects those Permanent Supportive Housing units to see more turnover in residents as people get back on their feet.
With the other units, he said “The people leasing them can stay as long as they keep the lease – they can stay forever if they want to.”
While residents are not required to have a mental health diagnosis to live at CVG, he said applicants must meet income eligibility guidelines and priority will be given to those with the most need.
With state and federal low-income housing tax credits providing $7 million of the project’s cost, he said the rents must be affordable for those who are at 30%, 50% and 60% of the average median income. “People living on disability income can afford this,” he added.
Stacy Kiser, the executive director of Vera French Housing, told the crowd that the project expands on the work the organization has been doing for 30 years when the community recognized the need for supportive and affordable housing for those challenged by mental health issues.
Today, Vera French operates “146 units of scattered site houses that provide wonderful wraparound services,” she said.
Building a healthy community
With the assistance of several funding sources and a “trusted design team we are making this happen,” Ms. Kiser said. “And what better location than right next to Carol Center and right next to downtown Davenport.”
Russell President Caitlin Russell, who was on hand to celebrate the project’s start, applauded the Vera French team on its latest development. Her father and company founder, Jim Russell, who was unable to attend, has been a longtime Vera French board member.
“Just over five years ago, this was just an idea,” she said, standing yards away from the construction site where earthwork already is underway.
The 30,000-square-foot housing complex will be the 14th project Russell has completed with Vera French, she said, thanking both its team and the Russell construction team, many of whom were in attendance.
The project also received accolades from Peter Tokar III, CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the ribbon cutting, as well as Davenport Mayor Mike Matson.
“Any day we get to celebrate a groundbreaking is a great day for the chamber,” said Mr. Tokar, who has been on the job about eight months. “This one is a little extra special because of the impact Vera French has in this community.”
He said Vera French’s community resources “are paramount for having a healthy community, a prosperous community.”
Mr. Matson, who noted how often he’s been called on for a Vera French building celebration, applauded Dr. Whitaker and the Vera French team “and all they do to expand affordable housing in Davenport.”
Mr. Matson said Vera French’s projects regularly receive the support of the city, the state, area housing agencies and other partners, who often remark “If they’re (Vera French) doing it, I’m in.”
Funding partners
Vera French leaders said CVG would not have been possible without the visionary support of a number of local, state and community funders.
In July of 2023, Vera French was awarded $9.4 million from the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) to support the project’s construction. The project received $843,750 in federal tax credits and $1 million in loans through IFA’s HOME Program.
Ms. Kizer described the Low Income Housing Tax Credits as a very competitive process. The project will receive the credits for 10 years for a total benefit of $8.4 million.
Other funding partners included Iowa Title Guaranty, Midwest Housing Equity Group, City of Davenport, Quad Cities Housing Council and Vera French Foundation.
Vera French leaders also thanked other community supporters such as the Regional Development Authority (RDA) and the Scott County Regional Authority (SCRA), which were early supporters of the project and awarded a total of $330,000 during their Fall 2021 grant rounds. Quad City Bank & Trust also was publicly thanked for providing the private financing.
Carol namesake
Both the center and new housing project’s names pay tribute to the late Carol Lujack, who was a Vera French member when the program was known as Frontier.
Angi Tracy, the director of Carol Center, said the work and planning of the Vera French team, Russell and the local community “has been truly inspiring.”
The housing project, like Carol Center, “will foster a sense of community and belonging,” she said, adding “Carol Lujack would be proud of this milestone.”
For more information about Carol’s Village Gardens and Vera French Housing, click here.
