Welcome to Forest Point Place!
“It is Roof Above’s profound privilege to serve as the operator of this vision for Mecklenburg County, this vision to reimagine existing hotels into supportive housing to serve our vulnerable older adults experiencing homelessness in this community. Forest Point Place is a symbol of new life. For our tenants, it’s a door. It’s a key. It’s a place to call home, to have the safety, stability, dignity, and opportunity that comes with housing,” said Liz Clasen-Kelly, Roof Above’s CEO, at the Grand Opening of Forest Point Place.
Forest Point Place’s Origin
While we celebrate the new stories tenants are just beginning to write at Forest Point Place, a permanent supportive housing community for more than 90 older adults (55+), the origin story of Forest Point Place begins back in 2020 during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Older adults are the fastest growing group experiencing homelessness in America, due in part to rising costs of living and housing that outpace wages and fixed incomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Mecklenburg County initiated an effort to move older adults experiencing homelessness off the streets and into a non-congregate, or non-group, environment that was safer. This resulted in the opening of a hotel-based shelter specifically for older adults with Roof Above leading operations.
What we envisioned as perhaps a three-month program turned into a more than two-year program. It served 146 individuals, 90 of whom moved into housing.
Building on the initiative’s success, the county developed plans to fund a permanent housing solution for older adults experiencing homelessness. In 2022, the county purchased a former hotel property, and work began to convert the hotel into an apartment community for vulnerable individuals aged 55+ experiencing homelessness. This housing dream was realized in July of 2023, which coincided with the closing of the hotel-based shelter. While not fully complete at that time, 27 individuals from the sheltering hotel program moved into their new apartments in a small wing of the property. The county selected Roof Above as its operating partner for this innovative housing solution.
Our New Community
Over a year later, renovations are complete, and Forest Point Place boasts two apartment buildings managed by Roof Above. Tenants have access to vital supportive services onsite, including case management, nursing care, and community activities.
The sense of community at Forest Point place is palpable. Many of the tenants have known each other for years since they met in the hotel-based shelter. Newer residents are welcomed by tenants and staff alike, and regular events bring tenants, staff, and community volunteers together. We know the solution to homelessness is housing and we are proud this partnership has brought so many individuals home.
Read about the people of Forest Point Place: