Hope Estates is a bold new initiative designed to support young adults transitioning from difficult life circumstances into stable, long-term housing. Too often, these individuals face a cycle of temporary shelters or homelessness. Hope Estates offers an alternative: a place to plant roots, form lasting relationships, and thrive.
At the heart of Hope Estates is a belief in the power of community. Residents won’t just be living in apartments – they’ll be part of an intentional, intergenerational community. Many of their neighbors, including families and older adults, are here by choice, drawn by the desire to make a difference, offer mentorship, and be part of something larger than themselves.
Recognizing the needs of extended families – for example, grandparents raising grandchildren – Hope Estates includes apartments and 2- to 3-bedroom townhomes. These homes provide much-needed permanent housing and support systems for kinship families, strengthening the community through diversity and shared experience.
Why This Matters
Our agency saw a gap: a vulnerable population lacking access to affordable housing and the supportive services they need to thrive. Hope Estates is our answer.
With older adults and families living alongside young residents, mentorship and mutual support occur naturally – whether through daily conversations, help with life skills, or simply the comfort of knowing someone nearby cares. These organic connections help build resilience for young adults while offering purpose and social connection for older adults. For families, this community offers a safety net of shared caregiving, parenting tips, and neighborly support.
We envision Hope Estates as more than housing – it’s a holistic living environment.
Optional programming will include:
• Financial literacy
• Cooking and nutrition
• Employment readiness
• Emotional wellness
• Continuing education
Community spaces such as shared gardens, playgrounds, and regular events will foster deep bonds among residents and combat homelessness and social isolation.
The Vision Becomes Reality
In recent years, we’ve heard a recurring message from older adults: “We want to give back. We want to help.” Hope Estates answers that call, inspired by successful intergenerational housing models across the country.
For EmberHope, this project is a natural next step. We’ve long served children and families through residential care, foster services, and clinical support. Now, we’re expanding our mission to provide stable, affordable, permanent housing to the broader community we’ve always cared for.
A Campus Transformed
When EmberHope moved its headquarters back to Newton in 2018, we knew we needed a long-term plan to revitalize our historic campus. While our work has always been noble, our buildings were aging and our green space underutilized. With that in mind, we created a campus master plan to maximize our resources in service of our mission.
The idea of pursuing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) through the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) excited us – though we expected a long wait due to the program’s competitive nature. To our great surprise and joy, we were awarded funding on our very first application. This dream became possible thanks to the dedication of our consulting partner, Scott & Associates, and developer, Riverstone Platform Partners. We are deeply grateful for their partnership.
Watch EmberHope’s CEO, Nickaila Sandate, on KWCH for more information!
