photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Hannah Bolton, founder and program director of the Cardinal Housing Network

Before the Cardinal Housing Network began renovating them, these two houses on Ohio Street were falling apart. But soon, the local nonprofit hopes they’ll provide a safe place for women in recovery to put their lives back together.

The Cardinal Housing Network, which was founded in 2024, expects that the new housing will be ready to open in 2026. The homes will be divided up into seven apartments spaces where women and their families can stay for up to two years.

Hannah Bolton, founder and program director of the Cardinal Housing Network, told the Journal-World that both homes have been in her family for several decades, and they were in bad shape when the project began.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Ohio Street properties of the Cardinal Housing Network are located at 1126 and 1128 Ohio Street.

The first home, 1128 Ohio St., will have three two-bedroom and two-bathroom apartments for women and their children, and it’s expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. Bolton said her grandpa bought the house in 1992.

Bolton said there were several renovations completed on this house so far, including a complete demolition and rebuilding of three exterior porches, extensive cedar siding repair/replacement, exterior paint and sealing, original floor restoration, historical window restoration for at least 30 windows, a new roof and guttering, full HVAC installation, insulation, cosmetic upgrades to kitchens and vanities and interior painting and trim repair.

There are some projects that still need to be completed before this house can open. It still needs an egress window installation in the basement apartment, floor restoration to be completed in the second apartment, kitchen and cabinet replacements as well as painting and other finishing touches, Bolton said.

The other home, 1126 Ohio St., has been in Bolton’s family since 1953, and there was a point when the home was divided into apartments in the past. Bolton said renovations haven’t begun yet at this property because the neighboring house has taken a lot of time, but by the time work is completed, there will be four 1-bedroom and 1-bathroom apartments for women in recovery and their children.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The second floor apartment’s living room at 1128 Ohio Street.

“We’re a little more concerned over there only because the apartments have been broken up so much into making smaller apartments,” Bolton said. ” … As the community was moving towards housing younger professionals and (University of Kansas) students, a lot of these houses in this neighborhood got broken up into apartments.”

Bolton said that during renovations, she’s discovered unusual features in the houses — such as a kitchen installed an area with no existing plumbing.

“You find yourself in a position where you don’t really know what’s behind the walls,” Bolton said.

For both of the Ohio Street locations, the Cardinal Housing Network will be working with Family Promise, another nonprofit whose mission is to help families with children who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Bolton said staff from Family Promise will check in with residents once a week to see how they are doing and what help they might need.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The second floor apartment’s kitchen at 1128 Ohio Street.

“They do really wonderful case management here in town for families and they work with so many families that need housing services that don’t have them,” Bolton said. “So it was a really good partnership for us to help their clients, and then they will be the case managers and Cardinal will be more of the property manager.”

Bolton said the goal is to provide every family with at least 90 days of basic supplies so that when they move in, all of their toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper and other necessities will be taken care of.

“We are not looking to place them in a situation where they can’t afford what they need,” Bolton said. “… And every inch of their experience is going to be a step forward in getting more permanent housing.”

As the Journal-World reported, the Cardinal Housing Network opened another sober living home for women in recovery this past summer at 1046 New Hampshire St. That home has 10 beds, and all of the residents are encouraged to stay a minimum of 90 days and participate in group programming.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The second floor apartment at 1128 Ohio Street.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office also donated a used transport van to the nonprofit a few days after the New Hampshire Street location’s ribbon cutting ceremony in May. The van is being used as a transportation option for residents, and Bolton said it is used daily.

All three of the properties owned by the Cardinal Housing Network are within walking distance of community resources, employment opportunities, government agencies and extensive bus routes.

Bolton said these projects have been a part of a greater effort to bring more transitional housing for people in recovery to Lawrence. DCCCA is currently in the process of finishing five new duplexes for women in recovery and their children on their property at 3015 W. 31st St., which is just east of the First Step treatment center. In addition, Ninth Street Missionary Baptist Church’s Hope Project is working on a new six-unit development that will serve as transitional housing for families who had recently been homeless.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The basement apartment at 1128 Ohio Street.

Each of these efforts are a part of tackling goals in the joint city and county plan to end chronic homelessness, “A Place for Everyone,” Bolton said.

Before all of these projects were in motion, Oxford House — a shared residence where people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction live together and support each other in a sober environment — was one of the only such opportunities for people in recovery.

“Within like two years we’ll be doubling, like with all of those agencies, doubling, maybe even tripling the amount of beds,” Bolton said. “So it’s a huge priority for everyone working in this capacity. It’s been really cool to be a small part of it.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

1126 Ohio Street, a property owned by the Cardinal Housing Network.

photo by: Contributed

1128 Ohio Street before the Cardinal Housing Network’s renovations.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

1128 Ohio Street, a property owned by the Cardinal Housing Network.