Agape Resource & Assistance Center, Inc., headquartered in Collin County, is actively tackling the demand for transitional housing through its upcoming project, Jericho Village. This $9.6 million rental housing initiative is set to commence construction in Wylie over the next six months.
Jericho Village will feature 38 units of income-based rental homes, a community center, a playground and on-site access to empowerment services on 2.46 acres. Of the units, 95% will serve households earning 80% or less of Area Median Income (AMI) with 60% targeting households earning 50% or less of AMI.
Update | Nov. 1, 2023: Jericho Village is expected to break ground in April 2024, at 511 West Brown St.
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City of Wylie Mayor Matthew Porter said, “The Village fills a gap that people sometimes don’t think about. It can help people who have a job but struggle to make ends meet.”
According to Agape Resource & Assistance Center, extended-stay hotels have transformed into transient housing options and are increasingly common along the school bus routes. Within Collin County, 61,000 residents are living at or below the poverty line, while 16,000 students within Plano ISD depend on free or reduced lunch programs. But Collin County can provide shelter for only 300 homeless individuals, which forces approximately 4,000 homeless people to be denied assistance each year — out of the 4,000 individuals turned away, 3,000 are women and children.
“Just north of Dallas, Collin County is known for beautiful and safe suburbs, excellent public schools, and general affluence among its roughly one million residents,” states Janet Collinsworth, Founder and Executive Director of Agape Resource & Assistance and Jericho Village. “However, statistics also show that there are an estimated 8,000 Collin County families are one crisis away from homelessness and almost 75% of these households are women-led. It is important to address the need for affordable housing.”
Construction for Jericho Village is largely funded by donations, grants and pro-bono projects. In October 2022, Agape was awarded an $860,000 challenge grant by The Mabee Foundation. Other donations include a $1 million grant from The Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation, as well as grants from Texas Women’s Foundation, The Addy Foundation, The Hoblitzelle Foundation, Credit Union of Texas, Wells Fargo and Charles Schwab Bank. Additional financial support will be provided by the LISC Black Economic Development Fund and Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation.
The project’s professional development team is providing their services pro-bono including the Domus Studio Group, Saigebrook Development, Maker Bros, LLC, RLK Engineering, Perkins Coie, Sutton Eldridge Engineers, Strand Architects & Engineers, London Landscape, Strut Interiors and Energy Bees.
