The internal courtyard at the new Alma Apartments in Springfield is meant to be safe and inviting.
That’s because the affordable housing community has 10 units set aside for domestic violence survivors. The fenced-in courtyard with raised garden beds feels secure while also fostering community, said Leah Pettus-Czar, director of asset management at Cornerstone Community Housing, which designed the apartment and courtyard.
The organization also had seniors and people with disabilities in mind when they built Alma Apartments. The two-floor, one-building community has an elevator and features apartments with a variety of Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations, such as roll-in showers.
“There just isn’t enough housing that accommodates people aging in place and people with limited mobility, and so we were really hoping to provide some options for that,” said Pettus-Czar, who noted the building’s waitlist already has a high number of requests for ADA units…