The Klamath Housing Authority (KHA) has announced a new veterans housing project on East Main Street after securing a $2 million grant from the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department.
Titled Liberty Park Village, the development would create eight housing units for homeless veterans, as well as provide access to rehabilitation services.
Diana Otero, KHA executive director, said she learned the grant had been awarded Friday. Plans are now underway to begin construction by July or August.
“There’s some preliminary work that still has to be done,” said Otero.
She said KHA plans to purchase the former KDKF television station building on the 200 block of East Main Street for the project. The property is currently owned by Chambers Communications Corp., of Eugene, the license holder for KDKF, a satellite station for KDRV, out of Medford.
The building is occupied by Mentor Oregon, which recently vacated their previous facility on Vine Avenue. A representative for the group said they are aware of plans to sell the building and are prepared to move out in July.
Otero said they have budgeted $1.2 million to renovate the building and construction will take around six months to complete. She said the remainder of the grant will be used to purchase the property, valued in tax records at $168,210, and to hire employees to help with resident rehabilitation.
Otero said the grant is expected to cover the entire project without matching funds from KHA. She said this will allow for low rental rates because KHA does not need to pay off any loans on the facility.
Liberty Park Village will likely be managed by staff at Liberty Commons, a separate KHA facility less than a mile up the road. Liberty Commons was completed in 2016 using another $2 million grant from the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department.
Outside of Liberty Park Village, KHA is continuing to work on Sky Meadows, a 32-unit complex on Homedale Road. Otero said their success with such housing projects helps lessen the burden on the local rental market.
“Any housing that I get, it’s a win for the whole community,” she said.