Hope Village wants to build affordable housing in Chippewa Falls

CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - Hope Village already has tiny houses in Chippewa Falls. They give shelter to people who are homeless while providing resources to help them get back on their feet. Now, the organization wants to add affordable housing to its portfolio.

Hope Village Director Michael Cohoon said it’s part of a 10-year plan for property it owns on Kennedy Road near the Chippewa Falls water tower.

“Includes us moving the 10 tiny houses there and then moving forward to provide affordable housing. And to do that, we are planning on building five duplexes and three six-unit apartments,” he said.

Cohoon said the apartments will be sold at market rate but the idea is people would qualify using housing subsidies to help pay their rent.

“Our housing model is to help people in Chippewa County who can’t get into affordable housing other than these. So, even if the apartments are rented at market rate, the people who we will work with will qualify for subsidized housing,” he said.

Chippewa Falls Mayor Gregory Hoffman also supports the project. He said the organization does a lot more than put a roof over someone’s head.

“It’s rebuilding people. It’s getting them so they have good rental experience and, you know, that’s really what the goal is in all of this,” he said.

“It’s just a tremendous burden lifted from them,” Cohoon said.

He said he hopes crews can break ground later in 2021, moving tiny houses to the property in 2022 and start building the apartments after that.

Hope Village is asking the city to approve a special use permit.

The Chippewa Falls City Council heard the proposal on first reading Tuesday. It will hold a public hearing on the issue on Feb. 2.

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