The Livingston Housing Authority awarded an estimated $100,000 to build supportive housing for women in need.
Livingston Housing Authority Executive Director Ken Mabery said the authority will build a facility for women who are going through the Overton County Recovery Court System. Mabery said an individual cannot enter the recovery court system without stable housing.
“Sometimes that’s a deterrent from being able to come in out of the jail system and into the recovery court system, so this will be an opportunity for those ladies to have that place to live with some support services in place and get into the very successful Overton County Recovery Court Program,” Mabery said.
Mabery said the facility will be able to house five women. The grant funding awarded by the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The authority will combine the grant with funds it received from the Overton Opioid Committee to build a supportive
Mabery said supportive housing is a big need in the county.
“We had received a grant about 18 months ago and then we built a duplex,” Mabery said. “That property there has been very successful and we kind of got to know the ins and outs and the demands of the Overton County Recovery Court and their clients or potential clients. The need is great so that’s why the Board of Commissioners here at the housing authority wanted to get involved and see if we could do our part to help the recovery court successfully transition these women through their program.”
Mabery said the housing authority brought the idea to build supportive housing a few years ago after seeing stable housing was one of the issues the recovery court system could not combat. Mabery said the authority is looking forward to providing additional supportive housing.
“I was real hesitant a couple of years ago when we started getting into this and I am not anymore,” Mabery said. “It’s just we are aggressively seeking funding because I think anybody out there has had somebody close to them that’s been affected by addiction and to be a part of these folks successfully combating that addiction and getting on with their lives and to be a part of that is very exciting for the board and the staff here at the housing authority.”
Mabery said a location for the facility is not final. Mabery said the authority will need to sign contracts with the state before beginning the construction of the facility. Mabery said he hopes to begin construction within the next few weeks.
