ELKHART — The Elkhart City Council voted down a proposed ordinance for LaCasa to redevelop Middlebury Manor into housing for formerly homeless individuals receiving services from Oaklawn.

The council met as the Planning and Development Committee of the Whole Monday night and passed the ordinance into the city council meeting, where was defeated 5-3. Mary Olson, R-at large, was absent from the meeting.

Brent Curry, D-5th, Rod Roberson, D-at large, and Dave Osborne, D-1st, voted in favor of the ordinance. Brian Thomas, R-2nd, Kyle Hannon, R-at large, David Henke, R-3rd, Ron Troyer, D-4th, and Tonda Hines, D-6th, voted against.

Elkhart city mayor Dick Moore spoke in favor of the ordinance. “It is about the quality of life for a segment of the population who know not what quality of life is,” he said.

Those also in favor of the ordinance were Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman, who spoke about how LaCasa has improved the neighborhoods of Goshen where they put up supportive housing. Some real estate developers spoke against the project, saying it would not help the surrounding areas, which have serious drug and crime issues.

LaCasa CEO and president Larry Gautsche explained how there would be security cameras on site and all tenants would be screened for violent crime and sex offender status. Before the meeting, Gautsche said if the ordinance did not pass, they would look for another site.

LaCasa wanted to redevelop Middlebury Manor, 222 Middlebury St., into Permanent Supportive Housing, 16 apartments for those formerly homeless.

Middlebury Manor is an old school that last housed the United Way of Elkhart County but has been boarded up for several years. LaCasa planned to use a state grant to fund the purchase and $1.7 million renovation of the building, which is almost 100 years old. Oaklawn has received vouchers to subsidize rent for homeless clients to find permanent housing at the site. The two organizations opened a similar facility at 1101 W. Lincoln Ave. in Goshen. Eleven of 14 apartments are occupied since that opened in December.

The council met in committee last week to discuss rezoning of property for the project to go forward. The members voted to keep the rezoning in committee after failed attempts to send it out of committee with no and do-pass recommendations.



Truth reporter Stephanie Gattman contributed to this report.

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