The journey home to the former student housing at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary took Presbyterian Night Shelter CEO Toby Owen 30 years.
“We walked out of that (tour) and we just knew that we needed to do all that we could to purchase this property so that we can provide housing for families,” Owen shared of the day he toured the for-sale property in February 2023.
Owen lived in one of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary homes when he and his wife first moved to Fort Worth. Presbyterian Night Shelter purchased the former student dorms in July 2023 to turn them into housing for families exiting homelessness.
Less than a year later, on April 4, the Presbyterian Night Shelter held the grand opening of Journey Home Housing at Seminary, now a 42-unit community in south Fort Worth.
Out of the 42 units, 30 have been renovated and are ready for move-in. Out of the ready units, 28 are for families and 20 of those are occupied. There are seven other applications in process for more families.
Tenants also have access to services and on-site case management to help them be successful.
Presbyterian Night Shelter purchased 42 units like the one above from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2023. Although in mostly good condition, most of the units underwent renovations.
The renovated units at Journey Home Housing at Seminary come with furniture for the newly housed families to use.
The renovated units at Journey Home Housing at Seminary come with furniture for the newly housed families to use.
The renovated units at Journey Home Housing at Seminary come with furniture for the newly housed families to use.
“I firmly believe that what we do to help others, to serve others, will live on forever. I really believe that. And the great thing about this property is, I guarantee, it will live on beyond all of us in the sense that we’ve intended for it to do that, to help others in need,” Owen said. “This is what will happen. So take pride in that because you truly had a role in helping the kids that live here.”
The project was privately funded by Presbyterian Night Shelter through a multitude of grants and donations. The cost to purchase the site was $3.2 million, but the nonprofit was able to raise $5.7 million, covering not only the purchase price but also the necessary renovations with some capital left over to maintain the homes.
“East Lancaster, that is a haven for people that are having significant challenges, people that need immediate emergency shelter,” Owen said. “But it’s all about our goal, to take people there, help them get the self-esteem and the awareness and resources to live in places like this, where it truly becomes home.”
Down the street, the city of Fort Worth purchased other homes also formerly owned by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Those homes will be part of the city’s first community land trust.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.