Cape Meadows development wins funding

A Cape Girardeau low-income housing project got a major boost Friday as the Missouri Housing Development Commission awarded developer Chad Hartle $313,101 in tax credits and $303,050 in a low-interest loan.

Hartle, with the help of several city and state officials, plans to rehabilitate the Cape Meadows Apartments located on Cape Meadows Circle not far from Big Bend Drive on the eastern side of the city. Four buildings hold 48 two-bedroom apartments, which will rent for an average of $346 per month. Currently, the apartments rent from $285 to $395 per month. Some of the current tenants will have to be temporarily relocated.

Friday's news also means that a $200,000 state community development block grant, sponsored by the state's Department of Economic Development, has been secured as well. In August, the city secured the economic development block grant on the condition that the housing commission also contributed.

One of the most notable aspects of the project is the fact that two units will be reserved for homeless families. The Community Caring Council has agreed to sponsor rent assistance for the homeless.

"It's been a big day," said Hartle in a telephone interview in Kansas City where the housing commission meeting was held. "I really appreciate all the help. The city of Cape, the Community Caring Council, the Department of Economic Development ... this project took everybody working together."

Stephen Williams, the city's housing assistance coordinator, helped Hartle apply for the community development block grant. Roy Jones, the housing coordinator with the Community Caring Council, worked with Hartle to come up with the terms for the homeless units.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson and state senator-elect Jason Crowell and lieutenant governor-elect Peter Kinder all signed their support to the project.

Considering the highly competitive nature of the housing commission funding, all the cooperation was necessary.

"That's one of the things that we find important in proposals," said Dave Bryan, a spokesman for the housing commission. "The fact that the city backed this was probably a big thing. And then when you look down and see 'Oh, by the way, two units will be reserved for the homeless,' that's very attractive."

Other projects in the area, including two Cape Girardeau projects, one in Chaffee and one in Perryville, were denied.

Hartle's application last year wasn't funded.

"They required quite a bit of new material," Hartle said. "We just about had to start from scratch."

Hartle said the project would not have been possible without the housing commission assistance.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing project funding to assist the homeless, Jones said. The Caring Council is in its first year of the federal program, and Jones anticipates the council will help more than 30 families over the next three years with the HUD money. Some of those families will live in the Cape Meadows Apartments.

Each homeless family will have to provide 30 percent of the household income toward the rent. The Caring Council will pay the rest.

Jones said the program is geared more toward, but not limited to, individuals who are homeless because of a handicap.

"What Chad is doing is unique" to this area, Jones said. "Everything else has to be negotiated with landlords."

Hartle said once he takes ownership of the property, it will be about three months before construction will begin. He hopes the apartments will be ready by this time next year.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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