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Exterior view of Cornerstone Village in Topeka.
Kwaneka Bennett and her children Xavier, Alaura,
Sarah and Anastasi,
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On June 18th, 2010, Cornerstone Apartments celebrated the grand opening of 20 quality rental units serving Topeka families. KHRC allocated $959,000 in funding from the Tax Credit Assistance Program and $350,000 in HOME funds to help finance construction of the development.
Offering 16 two-bedroom units and four three-bedroom units, the duplexes include a refrigerator, washer and dryer, dishwasher, attached garage, blinds and patio.
Resident Kwaneka Bennett says she, and her four children Xavier, Alaura, Sarah and Anastasi, love living at Cornerstone. “Our apartment is much bigger than where we lived before,” said Bennett. “We have an extra bathroom, washer and dryer. The kids can play outside and it’s safer,” added Bennett.
Cornerstone of Topeka, Inc., was founded in 1986 by a group of citizens concerned about the growing number of homeless among working families with children. The organization began with a short-term Transitional Housing & Education Program, providing housing and resources to assist families experiencing homelessness get back on their feet.
In 1990, Cornerstone expanded services by providing long-term rental housing through the Affordable Housing Program. The program started with a small number of older homes that required rehabilitation. It has grown steadily over the years to include approximately 150 units, consisting of older homes and newly constructed ones.
The average income of these households is about 40 percent of AMI. Cornerstone accepts Section 8 and Shelter Plus Care rental subsidies.
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