CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – As housing costs continue to rise across Northeast Florida, one Clay County nonprofit says more families are finding themselves on the brink of homelessness often after a single financial setback.
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Mercy Support Services, a faith-based organization focused on preventing homelessness, is expanding its supportive housing program through a new $23 million development called Mercy Village.
Construction is already underway on the five-acre property, where the organization plans to build 34 supportive housing units for families facing housing insecurity or homelessness.
“It’s insane,” said Carmen Queen, director of development for Mercy Support Services, describing the growing demand for help in Clay County. “We receive so many calls constantly seeking help. And just last year I believe there were over 800 calls of families that were in a situation where it looked like being homeless was in their future.”
The nonprofit currently operates seven supportive housing units across Clay County, but Queen said demand far exceeds the organization’s current capacity.
“We are full right now,” Queen said. “And until one of our families graduates from our program, that’ll be the next time when we have an opening.”
The affordability crisis has left many families struggling to keep up with rent and other living expenses. Queen said low-income housing options are already at capacity, leaving some residents with few alternatives.
“The cost of living and housing and rental fees are insane,” Queen said. “And low-income housing and extremely low-income housing, they’re at capacity.”
One former program participant shared her story in a testimonial video published by the nonprofit, saying she entered the program after facing eviction while raising three children alone.
“I was facing eviction. I was single with my three kids. I had no job, no daycare and no family support,” the woman said in the video.
Unlike emergency shelters, Mercy Support Services focuses on long-term stability through its self-sufficiency program. Families accepted into the program receive supportive housing, financial education and weekly coaching sessions designed to help them regain independence.
Participants pay 30% of their income toward housing costs while working through individualized success plans tailored to their circumstances.
It’s a benchmark widely used by housing experts and the federal government to define affordable housing. Households spending more than 30% of their income on housing are generally considered “cost burdened,” meaning they may struggle to afford necessities like food, transportation and healthcare.
Queen said Mercy Support Services uses that same standard to help families build sustainable budgeting habits while in the program. In some cases, a portion of those payments is set aside and later returned to participants to help cover security deposits, down payments or moving expenses once they transition into independent housing.
“We have already had calls to see if it’s gonna be an apartment complex. And it’s not,” Queen said. “It is supportive housing for our self-sufficiency program. So it’s not going to be a permanent address for anyone. It’s basically to stop the crisis that they’re in, give them the skills and everything that they need so they can go independently and be successful on their own.”
There is no set timeline for how long families remain in the program. Queen said many participants are recovering from trauma while also trying to stabilize their finances and employment situations.
The first phase of Mercy Village is expected to add 14 units by next year, including studio apartments and multi-bedroom homes. Plans also include a community center and playground.
Queen said seeing construction move forward is emotional because of the families the program serves.
“The families in our self-sufficiency program are some of the hardest working people that I’ve ever seen,” she said. “They want more than anything to better their situation.”
According to Mercy Support Services, every family that has completed the organization’s self-sufficiency program has successfully transitioned back into independent housing.