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Sept. 4, 2025                                                                  

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Toledo celebrates ‘epic achievement’ with grand opening of Park Apartments, a state-of-the-art, $15 million affordable housing communityserving young adults with disabilities at risk of homelessness

As residents begin moving into their new apartments, next challenge for Lucas County

civic leaders and nonprofits is raising another $600,000 toward $1.2 million goal

that will fund three years of social services support and building maintenance

TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo community leaders today proudly proclaimed “mission accomplished” with the grand opening of the new, first-of-its-kind Park Apartments, a $15 million, 45-unit affordable housing apartment building that represents a historic investment toward ending the homelessness crisis among people with disabilities and young adults that affects approximately 4,000 youths in Northwest Ohio.

“Providing safe, permanent housing where young people with disabilities can write new chapters of their lives is an epic achievement for Toledo,” Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) President and CEO Senghor Manns said during a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the new building, located on a half-acre site at 201 Knapp St., south of downtown in the Middlegrounds neighborhood.

“This truly is a mission accomplished moment for which all Ohioans can be proud,” said Manns.

“Park Apartments will serve as a model for the nation on how to bring affordable housing stability to the lives of young people ages 18-24 who have a disability and are currently homeless, or who are struggling to survive by living in shelters or sleeping in cars.”

Today’s grand opening completes the transformation of one of Toledo’s former landmarks into a beautiful new structure that will offer a comprehensive list of social service programs to help young adults as they enter an important next phase of their lives and that proponents say will have a major and meaningful impact on the youths’ long-term future.

Many of the dignitaries who spoke at this morning’s ceremony have been staunch advocates for Park Apartments from the start of its development, including LMH Board Chair Alisha Gant, Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board Executive Director Julie Embree, Beacon 360 Management CEO Celia Kendall, Toledo Housing and Community Development Deputy Director Coleena Ali, Lucas County Commissioners Lisa A. Sobecki, Pete Gerken, and Anita Lopez, Toledo City Council Member Theresa Gadus, District 3, and Ohio Housing Finance Agency Senior Director of Housing Programs Matt Sutter. 

“The new Park Apartments will stand as a cornerstone for Toledo’s most vulnerable young adults,” Embree said. “This is more than just housing — it’s a chance to build stability, hope, and a brighter future for young people who deserve every opportunity to thrive.”

What Makes Park Apartments Unique

Park Apartments is the first housing investment partnership between LMH, LMH’s nonprofit affiliate Lucas Housing Services Corporation (LHSC), and the nonprofit Community Housing Network (CHN), one of Ohio’s largest and oldest providers of permanent supportive housing. CHN specializes in developing housing for vulnerable groups, including transitional-age youth.

Estimates indicate that approximately 3,000 people between the ages of 18 and 24 with disabilities live in Lucas County, based on U.S. Census Bureau data. At the same time, as many as 2,088 K-12 students experienced homelessness in the 2023-2024 school year in Lucas County, with approximately 1,700 youths enrolled in Toledo Public Schools, according to the most recent Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board data.

Of that 2,088 student total, 66.6% were African American, 18.3% were white and 12.2% were multiple races. By gender, roughly 48% were female and 52% were male. The age breakdown for Lucas County youth experiencing homelessness is: 0-5: (22.58%);  5-12 (40.19%); 13-17: (22.96%); and, 18-24: (12.28%).

An estimated 2.5 million youths nationally per year experience homelessness. Along with losing their home, community, friends and routines, as well as their sense of stability and safety, many homeless youth are also victims of trauma. While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and a vulnerability to being trafficked.

Collaboration Is Key

Wal-Mart, through its upper management in Michigan and in collaboration with its teams at Wal-Mart’s Central Avenue store in Toledo, has generously agreed to assemble approximately 50 Move-In Kits for Park Apartments residents. The kits include essentials like a bed-in-a-bag, towels, bath and laundry accessories, cleaning supplies, and more, helping ensure a smooth and dignified transition for the new tenants.

Funding partners that have teamed with LMH and CHN in the Park Apartments project include Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Ohio; West Virginia-based WesBanco Bank (formerly Premier Bank); Ohio Housing Finance Agency; the City of Toledo; the Board of Lucas County Commissioners; and the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Cincinnati.

Additional partners that support Park Apartments include the Toledo Community Foundation, John Henry Eldridge Foundation, Signature Bank, PBF Energy, and Team Recovery.

More Help Needed

LMH officials estimate the average tenant stay will be 12 to 24 months, though that could vary depending on tenants’ individual needs.

Local staff from the nonprofit healthcare provider Harbor are teaming with LMH to provide a broad range of support services for Park Apartments residents. Supports will include trauma-informed case management, employment assistance and job training, life skills training, as well as connections to behavioral/mental health supports, education services, childcare, food, and transportation assistance.

LMH and Lucas Housing Services Corp. have set a goal of raising $1.2 million to help pay for the next three years of those services as well as funding the building’s operations and maintenance. Donors have already contributed more than $650,000 toward the total.

Prospective donors can visit this link to contribute: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/support-park-apartments-building-hope-through-housing

“The financial support and community philanthropy are critical for us to fulfill the mission of Park Apartments,” Gant said.

“The need to prepare these at-risk young people and older foster youth with disabilities for independent living is immediate and crucial. We are committed to making a difference in these young people’s lives by providing guidance and a strong support system that will help them become successful and productive citizens after they leave Park Apartments.”

New and Improved

Park Apartments includes 41 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments, all fully furnished. Common-area amenities include a community room with an attached kitchen, a fitness space, laundry facilities and ample storage.

There is on-site parking for both vehicles and bicycles. The site is situated within an established mixed-use portion of south Toledo and is located on a bus line. The complex also features sustainable design in multiple ways, including Energy Star-qualified lighting components, windows and appliances; low-flow plumbing fixtures; high-efficiency and appropriately sized HVAC equipment; fresh-air ventilation; and construction to address durability.

The Park Hotel was built in 1909 and featured more than 100 rooms, a bar and a restaurant. It catered to passengers from the adjacent train station at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza, as well as visitors to south Toledo. The hotel closed in 2001, with the bar and restaurant closing soon after, according to Toledo-Lucas County Planning Commission documents.

A structural engineer deemed the old Park Hotel property to be unsafe for occupancy and that reconstruction of the entire building was required, officials said. The engineer determined the building was at serious risk of partial or complete collapse at any time.

Prior to the 2023 demolition of Park Hotel, LMH implemented a community outreach plan that involved significant public review of the project. LMH staff also met regularly with elected officials, government leaders and community advocates representing Toledo and Lucas County to keep them updated on the project and ensure they were aware of any relevant public feedback LMH received.

About Lucas Metropolitan Housing

Established in 1933, Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) continues to provide affordable housing to adults, seniors and children in its Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher, Mixed-Income and Market Rate housing units. LMH also provides myriad programs and opportunities designed to improve the total quality of life for our residents, with the ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency. The programs and services are the result of successful collaborations with numerous community partners.

Our current housing portfolio consists of 2,633 Public Housing units, 4,657 Housing Choice Vouchers, 322 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units, 198 Market Rate units and 107 Homeownership Properties. There are approximately 17,500 people who reside in LMH properties. Lucas Metropolitan Housing partners with ALL people and organizations willing to exchange ideas and efforts to enhance Toledo, Lucas County and the world.

About Lucas Housing Services Corp.

Established in 2013, Lucas Housing Services Corp. (LHSC) is a nonprofit affiliate of Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH). LHSC is the anchor of the Community Development arm for LMH. LHSC‘s mission is to “provide relief for a community located within low- and moderate-income census tracts by rehabilitating and improving properties subject to blight and foreclosure. Such activities will help relieve conditions of poverty, dependency, chronic unemployment and underemployment in an economically depressed community. Given the unmet need of the community for such relief, LHSC is a critical vehicle for improving the quality and value of the distressed areas.”  

LHSC has been serving the community for over 10 years, focusing on creating homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income, first-time homebuyers.

LHSC owns over 100 homeownership properties, and its “Work Your Way Home” program, a one-stop shop toward homeownership, has created more than 40 homeowners in two key neighborhoods that support downtown in North and Central Toledo. LHSC enjoys partnerships with many agencies in the community helping to improve individuals’ and families’ quality of life while stabilizing distressed neighborhoods.

About Community Housing Network

Community Housing Network’s mission is that we create homes that provide residents with the support, stability and community connections they need to live and thrive. Our vision is that people thrive with equitable opportunities, support and communities that value them.

Since 1987, CHN has been a best-practice nonprofit Permanent Supportive Housing organization (PSH). We provide affordable housing and supportive services to people with a history of homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorder and other trauma-related issues. Supportive services could include links to case management, life skills, employment and transportation support, food assistance, health care and more. PSH is a nationally recognized, proven and cost-effective solution to reducing homelessness. CHN’s 1,540+ apartments provide homes to over 2,100 residents including 348 children and 100% of heads of households have a disability. CHN starts with housing because it fulfills a basic human need that then allows us to address other human needs, especially those that are complex and chronic.

About Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board

The Toledo‑Lucas County Homelessness Board (often known as TLCHB) is the governing body of the local Continuum of Care system—an alliance of public, private, faith-based, and nonprofit partners aimed at coordinating efforts to address homelessness in Toledo and Lucas County. It’s comprised of around 50 community leaders, including representatives from city and county government, service providers, funders, businesses, and faith groups. The Toledo‑Lucas County Homelessness Board is the central coordinating authority for homelessness efforts in the Northwest Ohio region. Its responsibilities span strategic planning, data management, collaboration, advocacy, and community engagement—all aimed at ending homelessness and ensuring access to permanent housing.

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