Commissioners allocate $3 million for Venture Place supportive housing in Fairfield County

Fairfield County commissioners said they have allocated $3,000,000 of federal COVID-relief funds to support Venture Place, a 24-unit apartment complex that will be run by Lutheran Social Services to serve people experiencing homelessness who also face mental-health or addiction challenges.

The commissioner who presented the item said the project will pair long-term housing with on-site and nearby supportive services, including counseling and meals, and will connect residents to the nearby Center of Hope for daytime services. The speaker said Marcy Fields of the ADDM board brought the proposal to commissioners.

The county speaker said the board received approximately $30,000,000 in federal COVID-relief money and "we collectively decided as commissioners that $3,000,000 would be, an appropriate amount to, put towards this project, and so we've done that." The speaker also said the AD D M/Adam board has secured roughly $10,000,000 to assemble the project and partnered with Lutheran Social Services.

"Turning our back on those people is not okay," the commissioner said, framing the funding as a moral and practical step to help people move toward stability.

Commissioners described Venture Place as long-term housing intended to work alongside treatment so participants can reduce their dependence on support services over time, while preserving housing availability if needed. The presenter called the development "a good first step" and expressed gratitude to the AD D M/Adam board and Lutheran Social Services for their roles.

The transcript records that commissioners committed the funds but does not include a roll-call vote or formal motion text in the record. Details on the project timeline, tenant selection criteria, and operating budget were not specified in the transcript; the county speaker said supportive services and counseling would be available to participants.

Next steps were not specified in the record; the presentation described partnership and fundraising already in place and indicated the county contribution has been made.