St. Vincent facility to honor Kathy Reed
<p>Kathy Reed, director of St. Vincent de Paul's Harger House, reacts after unveiling a sign revealing the name of St. Vincent de Paul's new senior living facility, the "Kathy Reed House," during a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday at the Coeur d'Alene site.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Now it's time to build across the lot. In the name of Kathy Reed. Nearly a year to the day after St. Vincent de Paul broke ground on the now-completed Lynn Peterson Home, the nonprofit was at it again Wednesday, putting down the ceremonial shovels for a 37-unit apartment building that will house low-income seniors.
COEUR d'ALENE - Now it's time to build across the lot.
In the name of Kathy Reed.
Nearly a year to the day after St. Vincent de Paul broke ground on the now-completed Lynn Peterson Home, the nonprofit was at it again Wednesday, putting down the ceremonial shovels for a 37-unit apartment building that will house low-income seniors.
This time, the project was named in honor of Reed, who has worked with the homeless provider for 20 years, volunteering even before that.
"I am honored, and I'm very surprised," Reed said after learning the home would carry her name. "There are other people who deserve it. I tell everyone we need housing but I don't write grants. I just nag."
The roughly $6 million apartment, funded between the Idaho Housing Finance Association, Idaho Rural Development and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be complete next year. When it is, it will stand across from the roughly $3 million, 14-unit Peterson Home, which broke ground almost exactly one year ago near the corner of Fruitland Street and Neider Avenue.
"They won't have to make the decision for the first time in their lives, rent or food, rent or prescriptions," said John Bruning, St. Vincent board president, on the people the unit will help.
The need for the housing couldn't be greater.
The city has a need for 800 units of affordable housing, according to a study, and the area homeless populations has jumped from 417 in 2009 to more than 700 this year. St. Vincent's one-stop social service H.E.L.P Center serves 1,300 people per month.
"These seniors are struggling," said Jeff Conroy, center director, adding that people are already calling to reserve a room. The Peterson Home took less than six weeks to fill, and has a long waiting list.
"There's only a stagnant number of housing available," Conroy said.
The home will be for seniors who live on resources that are 30 percent below the median income.
And it deserves to be named after Reed, said Peterson, the former St. Vincent director.
"She's a saint, truly a saint," she said. "St. Kathy is what I always called her."
Prospects for the Kathy Reed House are believed to be good.
"If the project is anywhere near as successful as the one behind you, you will have a home run," said Mayor Sandi Bloem. "And I know we will."