The Summit Apartments in Roselawn are home to 58 one- and two-bedroom units for people living with mental health and/or addiction issues and struggling with homelessness. The facility is run by the Talbert House and offers people rent on a sliding scale, as well as a case manager to connect people with a variety of services.
Teri Nau, vice president of community and donor relations, said the apartments are at 1579 Summit Road, a former single-story school building that was recently used as a union hall.
"The wonderful thing about permanent supportive housing is the 'permanent' is exactly as it states," she said. "As long as they want to live in Roselawn and comply with their lease, they can stay there."
The housing is intended to serve individuals and families.
It is unique because it offers rent on a sliding scale and assigns each resident a housing case manager.
"The enhancement is the supportive services. So they will have the opportunity to work with a housing case manager who will check on them if they're running into any issues, whether that's where to have their primary care needs met, how to reconnect with or connect with family, groceries," she said.
Nau says in addition to housing, a group of donors have pooled resources to provide new tenants with welcome kits that include kitchen essentials, pillows, sheets, shower curtains and other items they may need to get settled into their lives at the apartments.
The Summit Apartments are Talbert House's fifth permanent supportive housing facility in the Cincinnati area.
Some nearby residents, however, did not support the Talbert House expansion in their neighborhood.
Local 12 reported in May 2019 some residents felt the neighborhood was already struggling to take on predatory landlords, prostitution and drug issues. The housing facility, some said, would set back efforts to revitalize the neighborhood.
The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority is handling applications for the building and people will start moving in next month.
