Houma transitional housing opportunities through Start Corporation

The Start Corporation is a charitable organization founded in 1984 which is dedicated to the promotion of opportunities which enhance the self-sufficiency of people whose abilities to live and function independently are impaired for one reason or another. They target people who have low incomes, and also people who suffer from various mental and physical disabilities.

The group has five offices throughout Louisiana, two of which are located in Houma, from which they run and monitor a number of programs aimed at provided supportive housing, social skills training, and residential services. They also administer a Peer to Peer program.

Start Corporation holds the principles of recovery, quality of life, respect, personal choice, integrity and creativity as central parts of their value system. They envision the creation of a “seamless system of care” for their service users, emphasizing community awareness and support. As part of this, they offer a large number of housing-related services dedicating to assisting people with limited resources and/or disabilities to secure shelter and sustainable housing. These include The Opportunity Center, a clubhouse which facilitates social interaction and recreational & educational activities;  a number of Permanent Supportive Housing Programs in both New Orleans and Thibodaux, providing housing, case management, skills training and benefits acquisition services; a low-rent Transitional Living Center; Temporary Supported Housing Programs for low-income persons with disability; The Beautiful Beginnings Center, an 8 room emergency shelter providing social services, budgeting, supportive counseling, and parenting training;  and Peer-to-Peer Recovery Programs.

Programs for Veterans include New Start, a twelve-unit apartment building providing transitional housing and supportive services, and Visions II, a permanent housing program which also serves homeless persons under the age of 30; both of these programs are primarily targeted at service users who suffer from mental disability.

In addition, the Corporation develops and manages housing sites and apartments of its own. Many of these developments are targeted at a specific range of service users – for example, the Shelter Plus Care development targets those who meet the HUD definition of homeless, and the Assumption Home Start aims to provide rural accommodation. Most of these developments are for rental only, and residents of the units have access to many of the other services which Start Corporation provides; however, some of the units are available for purchase. As with the vast majority of Start Corporation services, the programs are mainly oriented towards supporting people who experience mental disability, particularly those who have suffered brain damage.

To apply for one of the transitional housing options, call 985-879-3966.