photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

People gathered at 1128 Ohio Street for the home’s grand opening on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

The Cardinal Housing Network has opened its second supportive housing location in Lawrence for women in recovery and their children.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Hannah Bolton, founder and program director of the Cardinal Housing Network, told a small crowd that the house’s name was Lil’ Blue and it was managed by her grandfather for over 30 years.

The house, 1128 Ohio St., was built in 1896 and designated the Joseph S Boughton House, and it is the original home of the founder of the Lawrence Public Library. It has three two-bedroom and two-bathroom supportive housing apartments for women and their children.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Hannah Bolton, founder and program director of the Cardinal Housing Network, and County Commissioner Shannon Reid are pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

This is one of two homes along Ohio Street that will have several apartment spaces where women and their families can stay for up to two years. The other house, 1126 Ohio St., will have four one-bedroom and one-bathroom apartments when renovations are complete this year, as the Journal-World reported.

As for Lil’ Blue, the colors of the interior rooms were inspired by a bench dedicated to Sue Reid, County Commissioner Shannon Reid’s mother. The bench sits outside on the porch and was commissioned by Reid through Van Go’s Benchmark program, where youth ages 14 to 18 in Lawrence create benches for people and local organizations.

“This place really resonates for me because this is the type of place that my mom found and she was able to have me in,” Reid told the crowd. ” … and was able to come up here and have a safe place to land here until she could get more stable on her own and figure out how to be a single mom.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The foyer of the house on 1128 Ohio Street is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

In the summer of 2025, the Cardinal Housing Network opened another sober living home for women in recovery 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, as the Journal-World reported.

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 its 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.

“This is so much bigger to me than just a house,” Bolton said. “This is my family’s legacy, and I’m just really thankful that you all gave me this opportunity to give this a go.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A living room at the house on 1128 Ohio Street is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A bedroom at the house on 1128 Ohio St. is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A kitchen inside the house at 1128 Ohio Street is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

An apartment at the house on 1128 Ohio St. is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A stained glass window in the foyer of the house at 1128 Ohio Street.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A crowd gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for 1128 Ohio Street on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

An apartment at the house on 1128 Ohio St. is pictured on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.