Last month, the Joplin city council approved the demolition of a former hospital to build affordable housing for veterans and senior citizens. The council also gave first-round approval for the Economic Security Corporation to demolish the hospital and start environmental cleanup. According to the city's press release, the Housing Investment Partnership Program will fund the development, supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Development.
The hospital is at 2008 Seargeant Avenue. According to the city's director of planning and developing and neighborhood services, Troy Bolander, the building was in great disrepair. He calls the building "a nuisance."
"People were breaking into it. We've had several calls for the police and the fire department to that location, and it's a problem for the people living around it," said Bolander.
The homes qualify as affordable housing through the Home Investment Partnership Plan. Bolander said the future available units could be for anyone making 60% to 30% of the average median income – translating to just over $25,000.
The city is collaborating with Habitat for Humanity to build the duplexes. Scott Clayton is the president of the Joplin Economic Housing Initiative – or JEHDI – a subset of Habitat for Humanity.
He likened the project to running a relay; each has their own part, then passes it on to the next organization.
The city approves the demolition, then the ESC demolishes the building and utilizes environmental cleanup, and then the baton gets passed onto Habitat for Humanity to build the duplexes.
One of the goals of Joplin Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate substandard housing.
According to the 2025 State of Home Affordability in Missouri, 1 in 8 households spend more than half of their income on housing. The income needed to purchase a home far exceeds the median renter's income.
Clayton said the people having trouble affording rent for their homes span many demographics.
"Two-income couples are having a hard time finding a place, so it doesn't have to be just a single income and maybe a part-time situation," he adds.
Joplin's Habitat for Humanity serves the community through several programs. One is the Joplin Economic Housing Initiative for low-income areas in Jasper and Newton County. Through their ReStore program, they accept new and gently used construction items, household furnishings, and appliances. Their Critical Home Repair program serves low-income homeowners with health and safety issues in and around their homes.
Bolander said the reaction to the plans has been well-received. Like Clayton, he points out that people's income has not kept up with inflation, exacerbating the housing crisis.
"Just to build a home now or an affordable unit is costly. So, you have to provide some incentive to get that price point down so people can afford them. So that's what we do with these home funds," he adds.
The exact plans for the Economic Security Corporation demolition are to be determined. Habitat for Humanity will provide plans for construction once the demolition finishes.
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