In Grand Junction, formerly unhoused residents move into new permanent housing complex

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Forty people who were previously experiencing homelessness will have permanent homes in Grand Junction by the end of June. The first few residents of Mother Teresa Place, a permanent supportive housing complex operated by Catholic Outreach, moved in April 25.

Roy Elmore, 67, and his cat Henry received the keys to their one bed, one bath, apartment around 9:30 that morning. Elmore said the apartment gives him a chance to live with Henry for the first time in almost a decade. Henry had been living with Elmore’s brother while Elmore lived on the streets of Grand Junction.

The three-story apartment building looms over the corner of 4th Street and Ute Avenue downtown. Its corrugated siding rusted over the winter into a copper patina, adding texture to the mixed material construction. It cost $13 million, and has been in the works at Catholic Outreach since 2021. A Colorado Transformational Affordable Housing grant covered $4.7 million of the construction costs.

Mother Teresa Place on the corner of 4th Street and Ute Avenue after a dedication ceremony on April 24, 2025. Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

Catholic Outreach operates three other apartment complexes, all within a mile of each other. Sister Karen Bland, the organization’s executive director, said that was intentional. Having the buildings close together makes it easier to serve people and connect them to other resources, such as the soup kitchen at the corner of Ute Avenue and 1st Street, next to the train station — less than half a mile from the new apartment building.

Residents at Mother Teresa Place are all aged 50 or older and were chronically unhoused. The residents will pay 30% of their income toward rent, which includes utilities. If someone is living on social security, for example — about $1,000 a month — they would pay $300. The state housing authority subsidizes the cost of rent through its voucher programs.

Along with understanding the requirements for someone to get subsidized housing, a lot of Bistodeau’s work is making sure tenants are ready for permanent housing.

“Some people are ready for housing, meaning they could still be actively using [substances], they could still be struggling with an addiction. They can still be struggling with mental illness. But housing is the thing that's going to help them become stable, to be able to work towards a greater independence,” she said.

Elmore visits the laundry room across the hall from his apartment during a short tour of the building. Each of the three floors has its own shared laundry room. Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

Over the last year, Bistodeau interviewed potential residents, making sure they met the guidelines of the grant. She collected information about how long people had been unhoused and if they had any disabilities. Bistodeau said the residents are not required to practice any faith.

Elmore, who grew up in Grand Junction, is permanently disabled. He worked in warehouses near Salt Lake City and developed several herniated discs in his lower back in 2013. The injuries stacked up, leading to his disability. He returned to the Grand Valley soon after, where he struggled with alcohol use. He lived on the street for the last 10 years.

Elmore stands for a photo in his kitchen just after getting the keys to his place. Along with stainless steel appliances, the kitchen is stocked with basic dishes and cleaning supplies. Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

“I couldn't stop drinking because I couldn't get off the street and I couldn’t get off the street ‘cause I kept drinking. So, I don't need to live like that anymore,” said Elmore, who has been sober for two years.

Rocky Mountain Medicare referred Elmore to Catholic Outreach about four months ago and started the application process. One of the requirements for state funding is that residents earn at or below 30% of the area median income.

An individual earning $19,800 a year or less would meet the income requirement. Someone on social security alone would make considerably less than that — $943 a month in 2024, according to AMI information from the City of Grand Junction.

Elmore holds his keycard to the front door of the building. Only residents and scheduled visitors are allowed into Mother Teresa Place. Photo: Joshua Vorse, Rocky Mountain PBS

Elmore looks forward to settling into his 500-square-foot apartment and letting his cat get used to the place. Each unit is furnished. The LDS church donated hardwood beds, dressers, and nightstands for every apartment.

Appliances gleam in the kitchen at the front of Elmore’s apartment. A dark gray recliner sits next to the large, west-facing window.

“When I sit down and watch TV tonight and then I go to bed, waking up in the morning I’ll be like, ‘wow, I am in my own apartment.’”

Type of story: News
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