Eastern Eight opens new facilities for homeless, special needs adults

TENN. – Two new facilities to provide housing for disadvantaged adults in Northeastern Tennessee will be dedicated this Thursday and Friday by Eastern Eight Community Development Corporation. Congressman Phil Roe will join a number of officials and organizations in Mountain City and Johnson City to celebrate the completion of these two new low-income apartment complexes.

 Rep. Roe is the key-note speaker at the two open house events sponsored by Eastern Eight and organizations who helped to fund the projects, including the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, Fannie Mae, Bank of Tennessee and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. Each of these organizations will have representatives at the events.

 Wayland Place II, the second apartment complex developed by Eastern Eight in Mountain City, features eight units for low-income tenants with special needs, four of which were formerly homeless. Lamont Place, part of Johnson City’s Mountain Home Redevelopment project, houses seven units for disabled and formerly homeless individuals. Both complexes are already completely rented out to eligible tenants.

 “Helping those most in need by providing stable and affordable housing is an important and necessary undertaking,” Rep. Roe said. “These facilities will help us fight against homelessness that has plagued the lives of many. I want to thank Eastern Eight Community Development Corporation for making these affordable rental facilities in East Tennessee a reality and for their continued fight against homelessness.”

Though not by design, each tenant at Lamont Place is a disabled veteran, five of whom were formerly homeless. The complex’s location coupled with that fact makes the redevelopment uniquely significant to Rep. Roe, a former Johnson City mayor and member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

 “It’s been awesome getting to work with these tenants,” said Eastern Eight Executive Director Retha Patton. “Each one of them has given so much to serve our country. The least we can do is help get a roof over their heads.”

 With these projects finished, Eastern Eight maintains more than 85 rental units across the eight counties of Northeast Tennessee. Patton, however, tries to focus on the bigger picture. “These aren’t just buildings or numbers to add to our resume,” she said. “These apartments represent 15 lives that have been changed, re-imagined or even saved, in some cases. I would have a hard time thinking of more worthwhile projects.”

 The open house events are open to the public. For more information on the events and Eastern Eight, call 423-232-5097.

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