Mutual Ground Facility Improvements

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) issued a notice of funding opportunity to fund construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or acquisition of property for Homeless Shelters as defined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dedicated to the provision of stable, safe, and adequate housing with a goal of increasing capacity to pre-COVID levels. Only units of local government in areas receiving direct entitlement CDBG funding from HUD were eligible to apply for the state of Illinois CDBG-CV Urban Shelter Program. The city of Aurora submitted two applications on behalf of Hesed House and Mutual Ground, with each application receiving approval.

Mutual Ground has been providing critical services for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and substance use for nearly fifty (50) years in the City of Aurora. The need for domestic and sexual violence direct services has increased post-COVID. Clients are arriving at Mutual Ground with extremely complex situations which require additional counseling, advocacy and shelter. The emergency shelter is presently housed in a historic mansion built in 1853 that requires extensive updates, repairs and reconfigurations to be able to provide access shelter to more victims of domestic and sexual violence along with space to accommodate additional staff. Upon completion of the proposed project at Mutual Ground, there will be immediate benefit to those served. The table below outlines the number of persons staying at the shelter has reduced, however the number of nights stayed has significantly increased. There are lots of factors that can contribute to this, but the lack of affordable housing is contributing to longer stays which fills the shelter to maximize capacity which reduces the number of families that can stay at the shelter.