A groundbreaking ceremony will mark the start of construction for Delmar Place Apartments, a new affordable housing development for older people with low incomes.
The 32-unit complex, to be owned and operated by the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority, will provide accessible housing for seniors, particularly those at risk of homelessness.
“Tenants will pay a sliding scale rent based on 30% of their income,” according to a news release from Douglas County.
The groundbreaking event will take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 2125 Clinton Parkway, and it will include remarks from LDCHA CEO Shannon Oury, LDCHA Board Chair Wallace Meyer Jr., and Douglas County Commission Chair Karen Willey.
Delmar Place will be located just north of LDCHA’s Clinton Place apartments. Its one-bedroom apartments will be designed to maximize functionality and minimize barriers for seniors, according to the release.
Delmar Place will include three times the required number of units that are fully accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. The site will also have support services such as transportation, food delivery, recreation and access to onsite technology to help residents age in place.
The $4.7 million project is funded through a combination of American Rescue Plan Act funds (federal COVID-19 relief dollars) awarded by the Douglas County Commission and LDCHA reserve funds, according to the release.
The complex gets its name from Delmar Jackson, a maintenance worker who has taken care of Clinton Place since 2006.
“LDCHA employees overwhelmingly voted to name it after Delmar because of his deep dedication to serving our tenants,” Oury said in the release. “Delmar is currently the Housing Authority’s longest-serving employee. He is beloved by the staff and the tenants of Clinton Place.”
The first tenants are anticipated to be able to move into the building in January 2026.
“The LDCHA’s mission is to maintain the public trust by preserving and expanding affordable housing and providing opportunities for participants to thrive through services, innovation, and collaboration,” Oury said. “We have set a goal for our agency to double the number (of) households served by 2028, and Delmar Place is the first project underway to accomplishing that goal.”
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