Spindletop breaks ground on
new apartment complex
Sometimes for people who have disabilities, the need for safe, affordable, accessible
housing is a difficult one to fill. Healthcare professionals often hear from low-income
patients that a lack of stable housing is an impediment to their recovery and to their positive quality of
life.
Spindletop Center broke ground on an apartment complex called The Cottages at Spindletop, the third
in the Center's series of innovative housing solutions for people with disabilities and low incomes. The
groundbreaking ceremony, featuring Spindletop CEO Dr. N. Charles Harris, was Thursday, Aug. 22 at the
Center's Beaumont south campus .
Spindletop will be able to build the facility thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, nearly $150,000 in HUD rent subsidies, and a grant of more than
$350,000 from HOME funds supplied to the City of Beaumont. In addition to these funds, Spindletop
Center will invest $423,000 of its own funds to see the project to fruition.
The 15-unit independent-living complex will feature full apartments with kitchens and baths and a
community building for tenants to use for activities as they see fit. HUD will determine rental rates for
the units.
In 2010, Spindletop opened The Studios at Spindletop, a 12-unit independent-living facility on its
Beaumont south campus. Following the success of that experiment, Spindletop opened The Courtyard at
Spindletop in October 2012, based on a similar model. Finally, following a rigorous process of HUD 811
grant applications and work with the Spindletop board and the City of Beaumont, the Center secured
more than $2 million in funding. The board of trustees agreed that Spindletop would contribute an
additional $423,000 in order to flesh out the budget.
Center receives $1.3 million grant for
Extended Observation, Respite
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has awarded Spindletop Center almost $1.3 million for
the expansion of Extended Observation in hospitals and Crisis Respite and Residential Crisis services at
Spindletop for 2014 and 2015.
The Center will expand and enhance crisis respite and crisis residential services. The Center currently
contracts with The Wood Group to provide crisis respite service and this project will enable The Wood
Group to enhance these services.
Because hospital beds at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas and Baptist Hospital are not sufficient
to meet the expanding needs for crisis service, the Center needs to expand crisis respite and crisis
residential services to alleviate the demand for treatment that is less intensive than hospitalization.
Congratulations are in order to Dale Farris, Garrett Craver and everyone who worked to make this a
reality!