Michigan Health Improvement Alliance becomes a nonprofit partner for Andy’s Place Midland.
Andy’s Place, an addiction recovery housing project for local residents making their way through Midland County’s specialty courts, continues to gain support. The Michigan Health Improvement Alliance has become its nonprofit partner of record as development and funding efforts gain speed.
“We champion initiatives that address critical social needs and advance the health and well-being of individuals, families and as a result, communities,” CEO Heidi Tracy said. “Andy’s Place fits our mission to provide equitable access to quality services supporting all populations. Our role is to connect and empower local innovators and resources to serve community members who need support.”
The original Andy’s Place in Jackson was completed in 2020 and was the first housing project in the nation to address long-term recovery needs of drug court participants.
Andy’s Place Midland, a 50-apartment facility to be built at 1510 Bayliss St., will be modeled after the one in Jackson. Its 50 apartments will provide affordable housing and ongoing, on-site recovery support for local residents who are participating in an intensive rehabilitation and probation program.
Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Beale, who oversees the Midland County Recovery Court, has been a vocal supporter of the sober living housing project. Tenants will be referred from his court, and many will be recovering from opioid, methamphetamine, or cocaine addiction.
“Andy’s Place will create a healthy, thriving living environment for participants in our county’s specialty courts,” Beale said. “It will provide ongoing support for those in recovery, even after they are off court supervision, as they work to rebuild their lives.
“All tenants will be from Midland County. Andy’s Place will have more security and on-site services than any other residential facility in the county. And the more support residents receive, the more productive they will become in our community,” Beale said.
Mitch Milner, president of Milner and Caringella, a Chicago real estate development and project management company, said Andy’s Place Jackson has been so successful another 26 units are under construction. Other facilities also are planned in Southfield and Kalamazoo.
Milner and Caringella is nationally recognized for supporting communities through its work with public/private partnerships seeking to build affordable housing with on-site support services to meet tenant needs. Its projects also include housing for veterans, such as the 75-unit Silver Star Apartments on the Battle Creek VA Medical Campus.
“We know what works,” Milner said. “In the case of Andy’s Place, building a community, so residents forge relationships with each other and have access to recreation, job opportunities and job coaching, and educational services, for example, equips them for long-term sobriety.
“The Michigan Health Improvement Alliance is a perfect partner. They know the people and organizations in Midland County who can deliver evidence-based experiences to support Andy’s Place residents,” he said. “Recovery can take years, especially for those recovering from opioid addiction. Having a home and a community can be the difference.”
Andy’s Place has received a conditional use permit from the Midland City Council and a $100,000 grant from the Midland Area Community Foundation. Efforts to finalize capital funding from foundations and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority are underway.
Completion of the Midland facility is expected by the end of 2024.
In addition to support of Andy’s Place Midland, the Michigan Health Improvement Alliance will collect data and monitor the resident experience and long-term sobriety success for use in replicating the facility elsewhere in its 14-county region in central and eastern Michigan.
Media contact: Heather Smith, [email protected]