Homeless find lucky Cloverleaf

 The new 347-square-foot studio apartment Richard Harris has called home for the past two months may not seem like much.

A blond wood single bed shares space with a kitchenette, matching dresser, nightstand, table and chair. A closet and full bath round out the quarters.

It's not for everyone, maybe. But it's everything Harris hoped for. It's clean, safe and, most of all, his.

Harris lives in Virginia Beach's new Cloverleaf Apartments, which opens today, Nov. 6, and offers housing for 60 homeless single adults from throughout the area.

Already, 14 people live in the two-story building. Their names were supplied by the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk and Portsmouth.

Harris, in jail on a drug conviction for nearly eight years, went homeless after his release. He moved into Cloverleaf on Sept. 30, after spending almost two years in temporary housing with the Salvation Army in Richmond, and then Virginia Beach.

"I'm a recovering addict," Harris said. "This is a great opportunity, not only for recovering addicts, but also for the homeless. "

Cloverleaf is the second Hampton Roads housing development dedicated to helping homeless adults. Gosnold Apartments in Norfolk, another 60-unit building, opened in December 2006. It is fully occupied.

Both buildings were developed and are operated by Virginia Supportive Housing, a nonprofit homeless services provider. In addition to federal funding and grants from private foundations, the $7.2 million building was financed with money from the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth. Because Virginia Beach allocated the most city money for the project - $1.3 million - 42 of Cloverleaf's rooms are reserved for Virginia Beach residents.

Rental subsidies from the four cities also will help support the new building. It was built on the site of the former College Park Skating Rink on South Military Highway and gave new life to the skating rink's old wooden floor. It graces the building's community room.

Alice Tousignant, executive director of supportive housing, said the goal is to provide residents with a permanent solution to homelessness. All residents who stay at Cloverleaf or Gosnold sign one-year leases and are expected to pay 30 percent of their income in rent. Residents must pay a $50 monthly minimum.

"The goal is to help them become more self-sufficient and to make sure they maintain their housing, so they don't become homeless again," Tousignant said. "It's not just affordable housing. It's housing that's affordable, safe and secure, and there are support services."

All residents will have access to such services, Tousignant said, to help them deal with the underlying reasons for their homelessness. Health and mental health issues, substance abuse and financial concerns are some of the concerns residents face.

Since Harold Barksdale moved into Cloverleaf last month, he's resumed taking classes at Tidewater Community College.

Barksdale, who is recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, said he abused drugs for about 40 years. Since his marriage ended 29 years ago, Barksdale has faced homelessness on and off.

Like Harris, Barksdale views his residency at Cloverleaf as a fresh start.

"I'm working on a degree in social sciences," Barksdale said. "I hope to go into substance-abuse counseling. "

Mary Aab, the regional services manager who oversees Cloverleaf and Gosnold, helps direct residents to the support services they need. Since Gosnold opened, she said, she has seen many residents get jobs and increase their incomes.

With their housing concerns taken care of, she said, residents can address other issues that are holding them back.

"Many of the folks we're assisting have been living on the streets," Aab said. "And their main focus is survival. You don't try to think about how to get by beyond that day."

Harris is thinking about the bigger picture, too. He wants to get into landscaping work but, for now, he's willing to take any job.

He doesn't plan on wasting the opportunity he's been given.

"This is a great place to get back on your feet," Harris said. "I'm a firm believer that you have to work on you. It's about change."

Rita Frankenberry, rita.frankenberry@pilotonline.com, 222-5102.