Program Spotlight: Residential Housing
Safety. Refuge. Stability. Hope. Healing. Recovery. Happiness. Health. Independence. Opportunities. Equity. Inclusion.
Those are some of the things people experience after moving from unstable housing or homelessness to a DOORWAYS permanent housing apartment. Our Residential Housing Program operates seven buildings located around the City of St. Louis and provides 103 apartments. DOORWAYS owns all of the buildings and built several to meet community needs. Two structures positioned together are known as the Family Residential Complex. Always monitoring client needs, agency leadership saw the desperate shortage of housing to accommodate larger families. “DOORWAYS is one of a few subsidized housing programs that offer three- and four-bedroom apartments along with the standard one- and two-bedroom units,” noted Samantha Donovan, director of the program.
Currently there are 186 residents on leases across all buildings. The Family Residential Complex increases the number of family members under the age of 18. Currently, 34% of all residents are children.
Clients come from homelessness, unstable housing, a legacy of poverty, plus illness from HIV and sometimes other chronic conditions associated with homelessness. Many of them don’t have the experience or skills to manage a household, leading to a return to their prior lifestyle. In an effort to reduce recidivism rates, the Residential Program offers extensive individual support: an in depth intake screening to identify and prioritize need, one-to-one care management, individualized goals, referrals to resources, and self-development sessions. Nathan Rynders and Maria Thomas, the two housing resource coordinators staffing the program, have offices onsite where the clients live, allowing frequent contact and the opportunity to consistently offer support.
Both Nathan and Maria spend time at each of the properties they manage. Both know nearly every family living at the properties they oversee and frequently check on client stability and needs. They also promote the self-development and social activities. “It’s rewarding to see my residents at our classes learning about nutritious cooking or budgeting, noted Maria. “They particularly enjoy the stress reduction classes with crafts, and everyone looks forward to our holiday gatherings.”
The pandemic didn’t interrupt this individualized assistance. “At the start of the COVID-19 isolation period, our first priority was to make wellness checks to ask clients what they need,” said Nathan. “As the stay-at-home orders continued, many of our clients were in need of food.” The Residential team distributed food until food banks and meal delivery programs reopened and clients felt safe enough to leave their apartments.
“Great employees are responsible for the high levels of resident satisfaction” said Pat Plumley, chief program officer. “Besides Samantha, Maria, and Nathan, we have an incredibly dedicated facilities crew maintaining these properties. They work evenings, weekends, holidays, and any emergencies. We are very grateful to them as well.”
In fiscal year 2021, the agency served 3,548 people in 124 counties within the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area plus outstate counties in Missouri and Illinois. 79% of the clients are black; 63% are male, and 45% are ages 25-49. If you would like more information, please contact Pat Plumley (pplumley@doorwayshousing.org or 314-328-2703).
Pictured above are the dynamic DOORWAYS Residential team. From left, Maria Thomas, Samantha Donovan, and Nathan Rynders.
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