FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Providence Place is a deeply affordable multi-family apartment community in Melbourne, offering on-site resident services and amenities for individuals and families facing homelessness.

Its purpose is to provide long-term housing stability, reduce homelessness, address the shortage of affordable housing, and support broader community revitalization.

Providence Place will be located on 3.27 acres at 850 S Apollo Blvd in Melbourne, on the site of a former car dealership.

Providence Place is a joint effort between non-profits Providence Connects, Inc. and Steadytown Inc., with financial support from the City of Melbourne and Brevard’s philanthropic and healthcare community. Steadytown, led by Keith and Keri Donald, is a local private operating foundation focused on community development. It is contributing the land and, together with Providence Connects, is responsible for the project’s development and stabilization.

Providence Connects, one of Melbourne’s longest-standing homeless service agencies, is serving as co-developer and is responsible for the on-site resident services and amenities. For Providence Connects, Providence Place represents a strategic shift from day-center services to housing-focused solutions.

Providence Place will be a mid-sized multi-family community, with 120 ADA-compliant housing units. The 4-story building will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. While the site’s zoning technically allows for up to 300 units, the focus is on creating a balanced, vibrant community that provides high-quality housing while maintaining a welcoming and supportive environment for residents.

Providence Place is required to be completed by December 31, 2027, per the Development Agreement with the City of Melbourne. Construction has begun and we expect to open Summer 2027.

Providence Place will be available to very-low, extremely low, and low-income households earning up to 80% of the Brevard County Area Median Income (“AMI”). This eligibility requirement ensures that the housing units remain accessible to those with lower incomes in the community.

In addition to meeting income eligibility requirements, housing units will be prioritized for unhoused individuals with a disability referred through the Brevard County Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordinated Entry System (CES) for ending homelessness on the Space Coast. Referral priority is based on need, including factors such as a household’s history of homelessness and housing in Melbourne.

Yes. Housing units at Providence Place will be prioritized for households experiencing homelessness on a referral basis through the local Continuum of Care (CoC).

Some households will have sufficient income to afford a unit without additional assistance.

Others with greater needs will require a housing subsidy, and priority subsidies of different types are available through the CoC network to ensure affordability for those with the lowest incomes. The availability of these subsidies is critical to serving homeless households with extremely low incomes, ensuring that even those with the fewest resources can access stable housing and services at Providence Place.

There will be a standard application process for residency. The process will consist of an eligibility determination, background check, and needs assessment for reasonable accommodation. Any concerns about an applicant’s criminal history will be assessed individually, consistent with state and federal guidelines, with a focus on ensuring the community's safety. Approved applicants will be offered residency and the opportunity to sign a residency agreement. There will be an appeals process for any denials. Residency will be governed by standard leases, and residents must be able to comply with the obligations of their lease agreement.

Housing units at Providence Place will be prioritized for households experiencing homelessness who have a demonstrated need for housing in Melbourne, including those with a history of housing and services in the local area. This history is one of several factors that informs priority referrals through the Continuum of Care (CoC).

This aligns with the project and community’s goal to reduce homelessness locally while ensuring fair access to eligible applicants. At this time, most units are expected to be filled through priority referrals. When priority referrals have been exhausted, Providence Place will open applications for general income-eligible applicants to ensure full occupancy and continued housing stability.

Residents will be able to stay at Providence Place as long as they remain in compliance with their lease. We expect about 30% will be long-term and the remainder will move on to post stabilization. 

Like any other rental housing community, residents will sign a standard lease with the opportunity to renew at the end of their lease term. An income eligibility re-determination is also performed as part of lease renewal.
For residents who choose to move on voluntarily—or for those whose income increases above the eligibility limits—Providence Place offers move-on support. This includes assistance in identifying other housing options, navigating the market, and, when applicable, transferring subsidies to a new apartment or home down-payment.

Voluntary “move-ons” are resident-driven, supported, and celebrated as a success. Residents may choose to move for a variety of reasons—such as work, school, relationships, or a personal desire to live in another community or to become a homeowner. In many cases, residents who have a rental subsidy will be able to take their subsidy with them, helping ensure long-term housing stability in their next home.

At the heart of Providence Place are rich on-site services and amenities exclusively for the residents. In fact, the community is intentionally designed with smaller housing units in mind in part to allow for richer common areas and community spaces.

Residents will have access to a variety of services and amenities, all of which are available on a voluntary basis:

• Housing Stability Services (also known as “Housing Case Management”): these supportive services assist residents in adjusting to their new home, maintaining their apartment, and sustaining long-term housing stability.

• Primary Care Health Services: An on-site resident health clinic, operated by partner Brevard Health Alliance, providing primary medical care integrated with behavioral health services, substance use disorder care, dental care, and pharmacy, with the added ability for house calls when needed.

• Resident Lounge, Market, and Chef’s Kitchen: providing residents with inviting spaces for socialization, a small on-site grocery, and a community kitchen that allows for shared dining, coffee, and resident events.

• Fitness Area and Passive Outdoor Recreation Area: an indoor fitness center with on-demand wellness classrooms for active recreation, and an outdoor courtyard with recreational trails and enhanced Florida native landscaping to foster a healthy and therapeutic environment.

• Computer and Quiet Reading Rooms: each residential floor has a dedicated space for computer use, printing, chess, reading, and other quiet gatherings and activities.

• On-Site Vocational, Training, and Employment Assistance Programs: there is a wing devoted to vocational programming, including programs in culinary/catering and a resident workshop for light maintenance/repair skills & artwork creation. There is also a training classroom on-site, and five partner offices.

• Shared Mobility Services: including a proposed bus stop, resident bicycle-share program, and community shuttle.

Property management at Providence Place will function much like any other professionally managed apartment community. A dedicated on-site property management and maintenance team will ensure the building and community are well-maintained and responsive to resident needs. Several services will be provided to enhance resident access, comfort, and security:

• Front desk services, located in a central reception area at the entrance lobby, with a front desk attendant staffed during day and evening hours. The front desk will welcome residents and guests, assist with lost keys, receive packages, and schedule appointments and reminders.

• 24/7 security measures, including security cameras, electronic key access, and on-site security personnel.

All residents are expected to comply with their lease agreements, just like in any other professionally managed apartment community. This includes making monthly housing payments on time and in full, maintaining a safe and secure apartment, following guest policies, and respecting the quiet enjoyment of the community.

If a resident violates any provision of their lease, property management will promptly provide notice, and supportive services will engage to assist in resolving the issue. This includes making reasonable accommodations when applicable.

Most issues are resolved without further concern. However, if a compliance issue persists and results in repeated violations without resolution, property management will exercise its authority to terminate the lease as a last resort. If this occurs, supportive services will assist the resident in securing alternative housing and avoiding eviction or homelessness.

Eviction through the legal system is an absolute last resort and is rare in this type of supportive housing model.

Lease agreements will include a guest policy outlining resident responsibilities for hosting visitors. In general, guests must sign in at the front desk upon arrival and follow community conduct guidelines while on-site.

Residents are expected to notify property management of any overnight guests. Extended overnight stays may be permitted in special circumstances, such as family visits or medical caregivers, on a case-by-case basis.

To support resident autonomy and stability, supportive services will assist residents in developing a personal guest policy that aligns with their lease while helping them build and maintain social relationships. This ensures that guests do not interfere with lease obligations, community safety, or resident well-being.

If a guest-related issue arises, supportive services will engage first to help residents address concerns before property management takes enforcement action. The focus is on supporting compliance rather than punishment, ensuring residents can host guests while maintaining a stable and well-managed community.

Property management will enforce the guest policy as necessary to maintain the safety and quiet enjoyment of the community for all residents.

The construction cost for Providence Place is expected to be $17.5 million, equating to $145,800 per unit.

This is significantly more efficient than traditional affordable housing development in Florida, where costs currently range from $300,000 to as high as $430,000 per unit.

Providence Place is designed as an enhanced-structural concrete block building with impact windows, a strong fire rating, and high energy efficiency.

These cost savings are possible due to the project’s efficient design and community-driven approach, utilizing local, community-minded builders and contractors and a non-profit development team focused on community impact rather than profit.

Providence Place is being funded primarily through private philanthropy, with additional support from the City of Melbourne and the healthcare community.
Major funders include the founding partners, Providence Connects Inc. and Steadytown Inc., as well as other philanthropic investors focused on community impact. The healthcare sector is also contributing funding, recognizing the connection between stable housing and improved health outcomes.

The City of Melbourne is providing $3 million (approximately 20% of construction costs) as a reimbursable grant to support the completion of the housing units.

The funding model is rooted in impact investing, meaning investments are structured to incentivize success in achieving long-term community benefits over profit or traditional grantmaking. This model supports Providence Place being built efficiently while prioritizing affordability and sustainability for residents.

The operating budget for Providence Place is currently being developed and will be finalized following the financial underwriting process leading up to the closing on construction and permanent financing.

• Operations will be funded through multiple revenue sources, including:

• Housing payments from residents and subsidy revenues.

• Grants from philanthropic organizations and the local Continuum of Care (CoC).

• Partnerships with service providers who provide on-site programs.

• Individual donations from community members and supporters.

• Revenue from on-site vocational programs, which are expected to generate commercial income to help sustain program operations.

• This broad funding approach ensures long-term financial sustainability while keeping Providence Place affordable for residents.

Providence Place will significantly reduce homelessness in Melbourne by providing 120 dedicated housing units with on-site services, prioritized for those with the greatest needs in our community for as long as needed.

No single project can fully solve homelessness, but each unit developed in this way—whether through rehabilitation or new construction, and with the necessary wraparound services—plays a critical role in the solution.

Providence Place is part of a coordinated continuum of housing-focused services that work together to end homelessness effectively.
Outreach programs connect individuals to housing matched to their needs.

• Shelters and interim housing provide temporary accommodations while individuals seek permanent housing.

• Providence Place and similar projects deliver the critical, long-term solution—deeply affordable permanent housing with on-site supportive services.

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For outreach and shelter programs to succeed, there must be enough permanent housing options available. Providence Place fills this essential gap by ensuring that households transitioning out of homelessness have a stable, long-term place to live.

Providence Place is part of Providence Connects Inc.'s strategic shift toward housing solutions for ending homelessness. This transformation moves away from traditional day shelter and meal services to a housing-focused approach that prioritizes long-term stability.

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As part of this shift, Providence Connects closed its current-day shelter and soup kitchen at 815 Fee Ave. in May 2025. These services were replaced with a housing-focused case management program, mobile access points for basic needs, transitional housing in scattered-site housing units for the most vulnerable. 

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Providence Place is Providence Connects’ long-term investment in dedicated supportive housing, creating a permanent, deeply affordable community with on-site services for those overcoming homelessness.​

Providence Place will strengthen the entire community by providing deeply affordable housing with on-site services that reduce public costs, ease pressure on emergency services, and improve neighborhood stability.

Healthcare System Benefits:

• Stable housing is a well-documented public health intervention that reduces ER visits and preventable hospitalizations for people experiencing homelessness.

• Chronic health conditions worsen without stable housing, leading to more frequent and costly ER visits for preventable issues. Stable housing improves health outcomes by connecting people to primary care instead of crisis-based medical treatment.

• Hospitals often struggle with safe discharge for unhoused patients, increasing the risk of repeat hospitalizations. Providence Place will allow people to recover safely, reducing avoidable readmissions and ensuring better continuity of care.

Law Enforcement & Public Safety Benefits:

• Police estimate that at least 30% of calls involve “quality of life” issues related to homelessness—including public sleeping, encampments, trespassing, and panhandling.

• Officers acknowledge that displacing or arresting homeless individuals does not solve homelessness—instead, people move around or cycle back onto the streets, creating a “whack-a-mole” effect where enforcement does not lead to long-term solutions.

• By housing more people, police can shift their focus to addressing crime and public safety rather than managing homelessness.

Community Well-Being & Revitalization:

• Fewer encampments, cleaner public spaces, and reduced street homelessness enhance the overall quality of life for residents and visitors.

• Urban revitalization: Providence Place will transform an underutilized site—a former car dealership—into a well-maintained residential community with more green space and modern housing.

• Economic benefits: Stable housing enables residents to re-enter the workforce and participate in the local economy, benefiting nearby businesses and strengthening economic stability.

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Providence Place is more than just housing—it’s about reducing public health and safety burdens, creating safer neighborhoods, and fostering a stronger community.