HomeAid Northern Virginia and Joy Design + Build, a custom-home builder based in McLean, VA, have teamed up for the first time to update and build out the basement of a townhome for Pathway Homes, bringing capacity of the home from three bedrooms to four. The project – nearly complete – will serve as home to four previously homeless adult men, who will pay 30 percent of their net adjusted income in rent and will have access to a wide range of counseling and life skill services provided by Pathway Homes.

“This important update and the addition of another bedroom means we can maximize capacity by housing an additional person and better serving all four residents,” said Rachel Matzke, Pathway Homes’ property manager. “It literally means bringing in someone off the waitlist, and it’s hard to overstate how important that is. How can you define what it means to put one more person on the road to recovery and able to live a more fulfilling and stable life?”

In addition to the bedroom addition, which required enlarging an egress window, the team is refinishing the floors; making cosmetic changes throughout the unit, such as by updating lighting fixtures and freshening the exterior landscaping; and correcting issues that were found by a home inspector when Pathway Homes purchased the townhome in 2019.

“This home is part of our permanent supportive housing program,” explained Liz Susla, director of development and communications for Pathway Homes, “which has proven to be a solution for our community’s most vulnerable, as it pairs non-time limited affordable housing with case management and supportive services. After coming to Pathway Homes, individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring disabilities, including substance use and developmental disorders, can reclaim their lives and reconnect with family, participate in community activities, and lead safe and productive lives. This project is such a gift; recovery is virtually impossible without stable housing and support services, and now we can serve four men in this beautiful, updated home. We are grateful to HomeAid for doing another project with us, and to Joy Design + Build for choosing to lead their first project for us!”

John Joy, builder, president, and CEO of Joy Design + Build, first learned of HomeAid through a mutual business partner, and after attending a HomeAid event, wanted to get more involved. Serving as Builder Captain for the Pathway Homes project is the happy result, said Marc Shaw, project manager with the company and the lead for the Pathway Homes renovation.

“Working on this property has been a great experience,” Shaw added. “Turning the basement living room and bathroom into a living space, and working through the list of minor repairs and updates, has made this home much more livable and comfortable. We’re grateful too for the help of our trade partners, who are always a pleasure to work with.”