The Provo-based organization is renovating an apartment complex into six fully-furnished, two-bedroom units that, upon completion this summer, will house six families each for up to three months at a time. While living there, families will meet with a case manager to work on finding permanent housing and employment.

“We’re almost done with it, and it’s really going to be an exciting day to bring people into these apartments and take that load off for a while,” Community Action CEO Tom Hogan said.

Renovating the HART Apartment Complex has required substantial investment, as Community Action has had to redo the piping and bring the building up to code.

Hogan said the project started last summer and has cost approximately $600,000, with some of the funding coming from donations. The latest partnership is with the Utah Central Association of Realtors in Orem, which gave Community Action a $10,000 grant Wednesday to help pay for new windows at the complex that are more heat and energy efficient.

“That whole $600,000 project total has come down a bit because we’ve been able to partner with wonderful people who see the vision of what we’re trying to do,” Hogan said.

Community Action’s vision is to stabilize individuals and families in need and set them on a path toward self-reliance. Hogan said finding stable housing is an important part of the equation.

And the need is high. Housing in Utah Valley has become increasingly expensive within the last five to six years, according to Community Action Chief Impact Officer Jessica Miller.

“So for many whose budget isn’t covering housing with everything else, having a place for them to stay for up to 90 days will allow them to maybe save up a deposit, save up first month’s rent for their new place, allow them to focus on a more long-term plan,” Miller said.

Hogan said they will work with the Mountainland Continuum of Care to identify families who qualify for the program. That may include families who are couch surfing with friends, bouncing around motels or not having any housing at all.

“We might be the housing option, but we’re really working with a lot of partners that are also working to stabilize these folks,” Hogan said.