TOLEDO – Unison Health has received a $300,000 grant to renovate Whitney Manor, not only saving a part of Toledo’s architectural history, but also – and more importantly – saving lives.
Unison will use the grant, received from Ohio’s One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund, to provide permanent supportive housing for unhoused individuals with chronic mental illness.
“By addressing the root causes of homelessness, such as untreated mental illness and a lack of stable housing, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who are the most vulnerable,” explained Jeff DeLay, Unison’s president and CEO,
Unison acquired Whitney Manor, on North Cove Boulevard near the intersection of Monroe St. and Upton Ave., from the City of Toledo in 2023, and has been working with state and local officials to raise money for renovation and raise awareness of the need to provide supported housing.
At first, Unison lodged individuals in need there, but after a few months it became clear the roughly century-old building was unlivable. “We moved everybody into hotels for up to six months,” DeLay said. “We worked with every individual to get them into supported housing.”
In the meantime, other funds arrived, and Unison has put them to use. “We redid the roof, put in new windows and doors, updated the exterior lighting for safety,” DeLay said.
With the grant, he said there’ll be a full upgrade of all electrical components, plumbing, heating and cooling. The timeline is for work to begin in April and end in May of 2026.
“The bones are super strong,” DeLay said of the manor. “There’s a lot of character we want to preserve.” Yet, he said, “We made the decision to do a full interior renovation. It’s going to be a brand-new building on the inside.”
The plan is for the manor to house 20 individuals in 1,000-square-foot apartments, with Unison staff available “to help them take care of whatever needs they have – to support that individual to keep them living independently.”
Unison said Whitney Manor will provide a continuum of care that includes mental health services, substance use treatment and workforce skills training, all of which is an integrated approach to put individuals on a path toward recovery and stability.
The grant was awarded through bipartisan support from Northwest Ohio’s Senate and House lawmakers.
“I was proud to support Unison Health’s Whitney Manor project,” said State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green). “This project will be transformational and have a positive impact on the community for generations to come.”
State Rep. Michele Grim (D-Toledo) said the project “is a welcome display of the state’s support for the continued preservation of historic communities and structures. It’s a fantastic opportunity that we can preserve this historic building while using it for the purpose of rehabilitation and housing. It is my hope that Whitney Manor will stand as an example for future opportunities.”
Grim added, “Many members of the General Assembly, regardless of party, understand the importance of supporting our most vulnerable Ohioans and how a lack of resources makes the road to recovery all the more difficult.”
More funds are needed, but DeLay said they are on the way. A $1.5 million grant is pending, and after the first of the year fundraising efforts will begin to secure $1 million to $1.5 million.
“Toledo has a lot of abandoned buildings,” he said. “We did not want this to be another.”
He added that Unison’s partnership with the city and other entities is significant. “This is an exciting project.”
DeLay said the project sends a message: “Let’s be creative and help some of the most vulnerable individuals in the community, but at the same time save the legacy of what made Toledo a beautiful city.
“It’s not just about renovating a hundred-year-old building, but raising the awareness of the homeless, especially during winter months.”
