Special to The Truth
Applications are being accepted to lease at Park Apartments, Toledo’s new $15 million affordable housing community serving young adults at risk of homelessness
Prospective residents are encouraged to sign up now to potentially be eligible to move into the completely rebuilt iconic former Park Hotel when the 45-unit building opens in September
Some fortunate few of the approximately 4,000 young adults who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness in Lucas County may soon receive the opportunity of a lifetime.
Beginning today, applications and referrals are being accepted for eligible young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 for affordable housing at what is anticipated to be the highly sought-after Park Apartments, located on a half-acre site at 410 and 414 Wade St. and 201 Knapp St. in south Toledo, which is slated to open in September.
The $15 million, 45-unit apartment building that is replacing the long-vacant and dilapidated former Park Hotel represents a historic and innovative move by Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) and its nonprofit affiliate, Lucas Housing Services Corp. (LHSC), to bring affordable housing stability to the lives of young people who are currently homeless or who are struggling to survive by living in shelters or sleeping in cars.
“We’re transforming one of Toledo’s former landmarks into a beautiful new structure that will offer a comprehensive list of social service programs to help young adults as they enter an important phase of their lives that will have a major and meaningful impact on their long-term future,” said LMH President and CEO Senghor Manns.
What Makes Park Apartments Unique
Park Apartments is the first housing investment collaboration among LMH, LHSC and the nonprofit Community Housing Network (CHN), one of Ohio’s largest and longest-standing providers of permanent supportive housing. CHN has expertise in developing housing for vulnerable populations, including transitional-age youth.
As many as 2,252 students experienced homelessness in the 2022-2023 school year in Lucas County, with approximately 1,700 youth enrolled in Toledo Public Schools, according to the most recent Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board data.
Of those 2,252 students, 66.6 percent were African American, 18.3 percent were white and 12.2 percent were multiple races. By gender, roughly 48 percent were female and 52 percent were male. The age breakdown for Lucas County youth experiencing homelessness is 0-5: 22.58 percent; 5-12: 40.19 percent; 13-17: 22.96 percent; and 18-24: 12.28 percent.
An estimated 2.5 million youth nationally per year experience homelessness. Along with losing their home, community, friends and routines, as well as their sense of stability and safety, many homeless youth are also victims of trauma. While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and vulnerability to being trafficked.
“The new Park Apartments will stand as a cornerstone for our most vulnerable young adults. This is more than just housing — it’s a chance to build stability, hope and a brighter future for youth who deserve every opportunity to thrive,” said Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board Executive Director Julie Embree.
Local staff from the nonprofit health care provider Harbor are teaming with LMH to provide a broad range of support services for Park Apartments residents. Supports will include trauma-informed case management, employment assistance and job training, and life skills training, along with connections to behavioral/mental health supports, education services, child care and food and transportation assistance.
Who Is Eligible?
Applications for Park Apartments will be managed by the Continuum of Care coordinated by the Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board.
Eligible applicants are those who:
- Are homeless or at risk of homelessness (e.g., have a court-ordered eviction notice)
- AND
- Have a household member with a physical or mental health impairment(s) impacting housing stability
Priority is given to applicants who meet eligibility and are:
- Chronically homeless
- Experiencing domestic violence
- Aging out of foster care
Interested applicants can visit https://www.endinghomelessnesstoledo.org/park-apartments to view required documents and complete a request for application. Questions can be sent to submissions@tlchb.org.
Estimated Timelines
The application process generally moves from referral to move-in readiness within several weeks.
LMH officials estimate the average tenant stay will be 12 to 24 months, though that could vary depending on tenants’ individual needs. Tenants will have access to an array of social services, including employment assistance, transportation to work and help ensuring a stable transition to adulthood.
Collaboration Is Key
Wal-Mart, through its upper management in Michigan and in collaboration with its teams at Wal-Mart’s Central Avenue and Glendale stores in Toledo, has generously agreed to assemble approximately 75 Move-In Kits for Park Apartments residents.
These kits will include essentials like a bed-in-a-bag, towels, bath and laundry accessories, cleaning supplies and more, helping ensure a smooth and dignified transition for the new tenants.
Funding partners that have teamed with LMH and CHN in the Park Apartments project include Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio; Premier Bank, Youngstown, Ohio; Ohio Housing Finance Agency; the City of Toledo; the Board of Lucas County Commissioners; and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.
Additional partners that support Park Apartments include the Toledo Community Foundation, John Henry Eldridge Foundation, ADD MORE? Yes if they exist
New and Improved
Park Apartments will include 41 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments, all fully furnished. Common-area amenities will include a community room with an attached kitchen, a fitness space, laundry facilities and ample storage.
There will be on-site parking for both vehicles and bicycles, and it will feature sustainable design components. The site is situated within an established mixed-use portion of south Toledo and is located on a bus line. The complex will also feature sustainable design in multiple ways, such as Energy Star-qualified lighting components, windows and appliances; low-flow plumbing fixtures; high-efficiency and appropriately sized HVAC equipment; fresh-air ventilation; use of low volatile organic compound products; and construction to address durability.
The Park Hotel was built in 1909 and featured more than 100 rooms, a bar and a restaurant. It catered to passengers from the adjacent train station at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, as well as visitors to south Toledo. The hotel closed in 2001, with the bar and restaurant closing soon after, according to Toledo-Lucas County Planning Commission documents.
A structural engineer deemed the old Park Hotel property to be unsafe for occupancy and that reconstruction of the entire building was required, officials said. The engineer determined the building was at serious risk of partial or complete collapse at any time.
Prior to the 2023 demolition of Park Hotel, LMH implemented a community outreach plan that involved significant public review of the project. LMH staff also met regularly with elected officials, government leaders and community advocates representing Toledo and Lucas County to keep them updated on the project and ensure they were aware of any relevant public feedback LMH received.