Love Columbia’s transitional housing, Love Forward Homes, set to open in early 2026

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Love Columbia's transitional housing complex, Love Forward Homes, is expected to be complete early 2026.

The complex at 1221 E. Ash St. in Downtown Columbia will have six three-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units that can house up to 10 families.

Love Columbia says in 2024, it provided 4,144 hotel nights to 162 households along with 1,788 nights of shelter to 13 families in the Love Forward Homes program.

"Love Columbia's current transitional housing resources include three single family homes and relationships with area hotels to assist with temporary shelter for families we are unable to place in one of the three homes," Love Columbia spokesperson Caroline Roush wrote in an email.

Roush said the funding for hotel stays was largely paid for through COVID-era money which is no longer available.

"The need for transitional housing for families is significant," Roush said.

The complex is being paid for using City of Columbia and Boone County ARPA money, as well as a donation from The Crossing Church. Last April, the church raised $1,047,866 for the Extra Miles Housing Project, which went directly to Love Columbia's transitional housing funding.

As of March 2024, the project was estimated to cost $1.6 million according to Love Columbia. An updated estimate was not immediately available.

Love Columbia says the organization will not have a wait list for the housing until the project is completed. Once construction is complete, Roush said the Love Forward Homes staff will begin to take referrals and conduct program interviews for potential tenants.

Roush said the construction team is pouring the slab this week for the complex and the framing for the building will start within the next few weeks.