Lisa Allen/staff photo
Bob Rench, Friends of Youth director of administration, signs his name on a mat showing an artist’s rendering of the new building in Duvall. The mat, signed by many of those attending the groundbreaking, will be hung on a wall in the new facility which will be a combination of housing and community services.

Helping people get back on their feet has been one of the goals of Hopelink for 36 years. Friends of Youth has offered similar help for youngsters since 1951.

Now the two agencies have partnered to construct affordable housing and community services offices that will be combined in the same building on Virginia Street.

The “affordable” housing, however, is actually meant for people without a home, explained Hopelink’s Debra Grant during a groundbreaking ceremony at the site last week.

“There will be eight, two to three bedroom apartments,” she said. “We call it transition in-place housing for homeless families.”

The Duvall Community Service Center and Family Housing Project will be the Valley’s first affordable housing. The 11,836 sq. ft. building will contain the housing units and 4,200 sq. ft. of space for the community service center that will provide mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment, outreach and counseling for at-risk youth, emergency and employment services and adult literacy and English-as-a-second-language classes.

The housing entrance will be on the high (east) side of the building on the street, offering separate entrances for residents away from the community services offices that will be on the west side of the building facing the parking lot.

“Typical transition is about two years or as long as people need support services,” said Grant. “Others may be allowed to stay as long as they want.”

Grant said the agency caters to the individual needs of families.

“We help them become self-sufficient,” she said. “This new building will really help because there is such a limited supply of affordable housing.”

Grant said rents will be based on 30 percent of a family’s income.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Ed Belleba, president and CEO of Friends of Youth, said the building will allow families to settle after graduation from a case management program. “It is a first step but the city is growing quickly and this is a piece of the city’s vision.”

He said that Friends of Youth started 55 years ago as an agency helping troubled youth with housing, prevention and treatment.

“A portion of this project will focus on family services,” he said. “The cost is expected to be around $2.7 million and 95 percent of the money is already committed.”

Marilyn Mason-Plunkett, president and CEO of Hopelink, explained the mission of Hopelink always has been to help all members of the community to be self-sufficient. Hopelink offers energy and food assistance and help for transportation needs.

“Like Friends of Youth, we are committed to serving the community,” she said. “We will make this project a reality and a huge success.”

Bob Rench, Friends of Youth director of administration, said the agency has had a presence in Duvall for years, operating in leased spaces.

“Now we can be confident of having a facility in 2008,” he said. “Friends of Youth counselors can continue to help youngsters deal with the challenges of adolescence and substance abuse. We are excited about having enough space to do all this.”

Jan Dickerman, Hopelink’s director of Housing and Child Development, referred to the partnership as “amazing.”

“At the emergency service center in Carnation, we talk often of the needs of homeless families,” she said. “There were obstacles but finally we are able to fulfill our dreams of building housing for homeless families. Families are attached to the community and don’t want to move. Case management is key to helping people become self-sufficient. Every family has strengths and the idea is to build on the strengths to help people out of poverty.”

The facility is expected to be completed in June 2008.