Tag Archives: senior housing

Tipton senior rentals ready for residents

Tipton Mayor Tom Dolezal cut the ribbon at HAND’s newest rental property on May 24, signifying the end of construction at Southwood Villas. Work on the five two-bedroom, one-bath homes began last fall.

Sign: There's no place like home

The development, located on Southwood Drive just east of the Tipton High School football field, made use of five vacant residential lots on a cul-de-sac.

All residents must be 55 or older and earn less than 60 percent of the area median income for Tipton County. South Bend-based Bradley Co. is processing applications; residents should be able to move in this month.

Funding for the $1.6 million project was provided by the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA) and Lake City Bank.

The project has been in the works since 2019, when IHCDA awarded HAND $2 million to build nine units on the site. The scope of the project was later reduced after neighbors objected and a judge ruled that the planned duplexes could not straddle plat lines.

About 30 people attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house at Southwood Villas.

The development team included Meyer Najem Construction LLC, Weihe Engineers, and Brenner Design Inc.

Many thanks to Chrissy and Rick Ramsey of RC Fine Portraits for the photos below:

The five units at Southwood Villas each have two bedrooms and one bathroom.
The kitchen and living area have vaulted ceilings
Bedrooms have ceiling fans and lots of natural light.
All appliances are included, including a washer and dryer.
All units have a patio in addition to a front porch.

HAND’s Southwood Villas senior housing taking shape in Tipton

Construction crews have been racing Mother Nature on Southwood Drive in Tipton, where HAND Inc. is building five rental homes for low-income seniors. Work on the two-bedroom, one-bath units began in November and is expected to be complete this spring.

The project has been in the works since 2019, when the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority awarded HAND $2 million to build nine units on five residential lots just east of the Tipton High School football field. The scope of the project was later reduced after neighbors objected and a judge ruled that the planned duplexes could not straddle plat lines.

Construction on five rental homes for low-income seniors in Tipton started in November.

HAND still plans to spend more than $1.5 million on the development, but the changes delayed construction until this fall.

Fishers-based Meyer Najem is the Construction Manager, working to bring to life the plans laid out by architect Brenner Design and Weihe Engineers, both of Indianapolis.

Residents must be at least 55 years old and earn no more than 60 percent of Tipton County’s area median income: about $30,840 per year for a single tenant or $35,280 for a couple. All HAND tenants are subjected to a rigorous approval process that includes criminal background and credit checks as well as income verification. Tenants must have income.

Rents will range from about $560 to $750 per month, depending on household size and income. The Department of Housing & Urban Development sets rent and income limits each year.

HAND’s property manager Bradley Co. will begin accepting applications from potential residents on Feb. 1, 2022. Applicants can download a Quick Application here and submit it via email or at the leasing office, 901 Basil Lane, Sheridan. Completed applications received on or after Feb. 1 will be processed in the order they are received, and all qualified applicants will be placed on a waiting list.

Applications received prior to Feb. 1 will not be accepted.

If you already are on HAND’s waiting list, please note: You will need to submit another Quick Application expressing interest in Southwood Villas on or after Feb. 1.

Partner feature: RealAmerica builds housing for ‘missing middle’ seniors

Indianapolis developer RealAmerica continues to stride ahead of the curve, building innovative housing concepts in Fishers. One of its newest properties, Ritchey Reserve, is designed for growing group of seniors.

With the retirement age rising and pensions decreasing, many seniors are unable to simply retire and live in a high-priced condo. Yet based on their income, they are unable to qualify for affordable housing options.

RealAmerica owner and President Ronda Shrewsbury Weybright, calls this the “Missing Middle”—and aims to fill the gap.

Expected to debut this summer, Ritchey Reserve provides 55 apartment homes for seniors ages 62 and older, offering all of the desirable luxury amenities at attainable price points.

Another innovative concept is RealAmerica’s independent senior services model. Why charge seniors a flat fee for all-inclusive services when most don’t even utilize all services offered? At Ritchey Reserve, there is no added cost for services that may not be used. Allowing residents to choose the services they want based on individual needs and preferences and then helping connect them with those services is the goal of Ritchey’s concierge service component.  

Services include helping residents connect with local providers, continue their rehabilitation or physical therapy, receive regular health checks and on-site quarterly health and wellness screenings, schedule beauty services at the on-site salon, ride a shuttle to local shopping centers and events, request local grocery and prescription delivery, and coordinating food delivery services.

Located in the heart of Fishers on the Nickel Plate Trail at 106th Street and Hague Road, Ritchey Reserve is surrounded by a woodland preserve and includes two miles of wooded trails, encouraging seniors to stay active. All RealAmerica properties are pet friendly, and Ritchey’s amenities include a dog park and pet wash station.

The on-site library and hair salon make it easy for seniors who prefer not to leave the facility. For visiting families from out of town, a guest suite is available for rent. For seniors that have a green thumb, raised bed community gardens are included to encourage residents to grow their own food and stay active.  

Ritchey Reserve’s grand opening is tentatively scheduled for August 2021 with move-in dates as early as July. The waitlist is filling fast, and applications are now being accepted. For more information and to get on the list, visit HomeAtRitcheyReserve.com or call (317) 842-5512.

To learn more about Ronda’s vision for serving seniors in Fishers, please watch this video: https://youtu.be/OkKSVFEqUbo 

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RealAmerica is supporting HAND as a Partner-level sponsor for 2021-2023.

Tipton board OKs smaller senior development

Rendering of 9-unit Southwood Villas

The Tipton Board of Zoning Appeals voted  June 25 to allow HAND to build seven affordable apartments for seniors on property the Noblesville organization acquired last year.

HAND’s original plans called for building nine units on five residential lots, which would have required a variance reducing the minimum lot size from 8,000 square feet per unit to about 4,500 square feet per unit. The board voted 3-1 to reduce the minimum lot size to 5,725 square feet per unit.

The BZA also approved a zoning variance that will allow HAND to establish a 10-foot buffer yard along its shared property lines without building a fence. Members rejected a request to reduce the required number of parking spaces from 18 to 12, but their decision to eliminate two units also reduces the on-site parking needs.

HAND has submitted its development plan to the city’s Plan Commission for review. A decision could be made as soon as its next meeting on Aug. 13.

HAND enters new year building on 2018 successes

Home Place Gardens ribbon cutting

Anticipation is building along with HAND’s momentum as we work to continue growing the organization’s impact in 2019. Here are just some of the highlights from last year, which wouldn’t be possible without our many supporters:

— HAND extended its reach outside of Hamilton County, purchasing 17 duplexes in nearby Boone County. Now called Hickory Commons, the rental community includes 33 leasable units on two cul-de-sacs just north of downtown Lebanon. HAND is investing more than $2 million to acquire and renovate the apartments, which were build in the 1950s.

— HAND opened Home Place Gardens, its first rental community in Carmel. Located on 2.4 acres south of 106th Street between College Avenue and the Monon Greenway, the development includes eight one- and two-bedroom duplex apartments for seniors ages 55 and older and two three-bedroom detached homes for families. About 100 people attended a June ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. (See photo, above.)

— Ohio-based developer Woda Cooper Companies Inc. purchased the former Adams Elementary School in Sheridan, which it will transform into 32 affordable 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments. The historic gym also will be preserved, becoming community recreation space. HAND is a consultant on the project.

— HAND helped to establish the Hamilton County Home Repair Partnership, a collaboration that includes Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County, Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County, SERVE Noblesville and Christmas in Action. In its first year, about 50 low- and moderate-income homeowners—many of them seniors—received critical repairs or modifications that improve their home’s accessibility, efficiency and affordability.

— HAND engaged a consultant and solicited public feedback to complete a comprehensive housing needs assessment for Hamilton County. Conducted every five years, the data-based analysis is used to determine local housing needs and to identify a strategy for meeting them. While final report is still being fine-tuned, preliminary results released at HAND’s September housing conference found that Hamilton County has a significantly larger percentage of cost-burdened households than the Indianapolis metropolitan area as a whole.

— HAND also received several significant grants throughout the year, including $10,000 from the Rotary Club of Carmel for the playground at Home Place Gardens and $7,500 from Duke Energy Foundation for the Housing Needs Assessment.

(See our full list of 2018 sponsors and supporters here, and contact Andrea Davis if you’d like to join the list for 2019.)