MOLINE, Ill. — Moline is embarking on a new project that could benefit many low-income residents, consisting of the construction of 16 apartments and a duplex near the intersection of 12th Avenue and 41st street.
It was a long time coming, some said, as the city conducted over a decade of research to find the need for affordable housing.
"We discovered that there are a lot of veterans, a lot of homelessness, and a lot of people that need supportive housing," CEO of Moline Housing Authority John Afoun said. "Based on that analysis, we concluded that there's a need for this.”
The apartments will be built with a variety of floor plans, ranging from single to three-bedroom units.
"We didn't want to create the old notion of public housing where everything looks the same. So we put in a little bit of creativity and variation," Afoun added.
Over 1,000 names are on a waitlist for affordable housing aid. Project officials said they're hoping to help more than a dozen families, regardless of their circumstances.
"We're going to be working with a lot of the nonprofits in the area to make sure people are going to live there that want the support, have the support," said Steve Clark, president of S.E Clark and Associates. “It's going to be amazing watching this transition because there's a number of families that are inflicted, that need some assistance, and we're not worried about filling it up."
The new apartments are set to be completed by December 2023. Construction will cost around $6 million, with the development team receiving funding through a grant from the state.
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