UPholdings and Housing Opportunity Development Corporation (HODC) held the grand opening for Heart’s Place, an eighteen-unit Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) development, on September 11, 2019 at 120 E. Boeger Drive in Arlington Heights. The event celebrated the construction completion of a project ten years in the making and highlighted the importance of affordable rental housing with social services in Northwest Cook County.
Honoring the ceremony with their thoughts on the importance of PSH in our communities were guest speakers Village of Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes, Federal Home Loan Bank Vice President of Community Investment Tim Klont, and Illinois Housing Development Authority Assistant Director of Multifamily Finance Keith Pryor. Introductory remarks about the project’s history and future were provided by Richard Koenig, Executive Director of Housing Opportunity Development Corporation and Jessica Hoff Berzac, Principal of UPholdings. The team extended a special thanks to Hugh Brady of the North-Northwest Suburban Task Force on Supportive Housing for Individuals with Mental Illness for the organization’s unwavering advocacy. Following the speaking program was the ceremonial ribbon cutting, representing the culmination of years of effort to build these homes, and a special vocal performance by Marlow Thomas. Celebrants in attendance included Village of Arlington Heights Board Trustees, Representative Scott Britton, Representative Mark Walker, Senator Ann Gillespie, and other administrators from the Village of Arlington Heights. Guests were invited to tour the brand new apartments and mingle in the building’s community gathering room and landscaped yard with patio and gazebo.
Heart’s Place serves individuals dealing with a wide range of disabilities, as well as those moving from nursing homes into independent living settings. Individually-tailored on-site services are offered to all residents through a network of community-based providers coordinated by HODC. These services, including case management, life and parenting skills, and employment support will strive to empower residents to live their best lives. Heart’s Place is slated to be certified at level Silver for the National Green Building Standards, showcasing the building’s environmentally-thoughtful design and construction practices.
