LIVINGSTON — Tucked away in a quiet Livingston neighborhood by Highway 10 are the HRDC’s Summit Place Apartments—offering affordable, safe housing options for people with mental disabilities.
"It creates a more harmonious and equal balanced community when you can take care of all demographics of people in your community," says Leslie Feigel, CEO of Livingston’s Chamber of Commerce.
WATCH: Summit Place Apartments Provide Crucial Support for Individuals with Mental Disabilities in Livingston
She says that housing in Livingston continues to be limited.
"So, you know, anytime we can grow even just one more unit, that’s a win for our community," says Feigel.
Summit Place Apartments were acquired by the HRDC in the 90’s from Gallatin Mental Heath—in efforts to preserve the existing housing.
HRDC’s President and CEO, Heather Grenier, says that after thirty years, the property was in need of renovations—which included the remodeling of a laundry space into an 8th additional unit.
"We completely gutted all the units, redid the flooring, got new appliances, redid the bathrooms—so we were able to upgrade things and gain a unit in the process," she says.
Preserving the property has also preserved the subsidy that allows individuals with mental disabilities to obtain housing at a cost that works for them.
"So, the way the subsidy works is they try to make the rent affordable—so it’s based on their income. So, they pay 30% of their income towards the rent," says Grenier.
The subsidy pays for the remaining cost of rent—a benefit Grenier says is vital for people suffering with a mental disability.
"People with severe mental disability struggle to gain employment and maintain employment often without the appropriate care and training. And so, the first and most important part of stabilizing anyone in that space, is having a home," she says.
