Housing Programs
Excel houses approximately 900 individuals and families with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI), most of whom were homeless. We leverage our property portfolio and partner with private landlords throughout Hamilton County to meet each participant’s unique housing needs.
If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness and needs shelter or housing, please call the Central Access Point line at (513)381-SAFE.
If you or someone you know needs Mental Health resources, please call the Mental Health Access Point at (513)558-8888
Housing Assistance Program (HAP)
HAP serves over 600 individuals and families by providing subsidy payments for scattered-site Permanent Supportive Housing. Participants must be referred by a Mental Health Case Management agency funded by the Hamilton County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. Excel assigns each participant a Housing Specialist who:
- Coordinates with participants’ Mental Health Case Manager
- Facilitates lease signings
- Advocates for participants’ housing needs
- Conducts annual recertifications by collecting documentation needed for continued eligibility
Eligibility requirements for HAP:
- Hamilton County resident
- 18 years or older
- Qualifying SPMI diagnosis
- Certified Homeless or housing-insecure
- Source of income, or a path to obtain income
- Provide documentation for Annual Recertification
Continuum of Care (CoC)
Excel’s CoC Department is a HUD-funded Permanent Supportive Housing program that provides subsidy payments and supportive services to approximately 300 qualifying individuals and families. Strategies to End Homelessness facilitates all referrals through a communitywide Coordinated Entry system. You can find more information on Coordinated Entry at https://www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org/.
Excel assigns a Supportive Housing Case Manager (SHCM) to each participant. SHCMs assist in finding housing and facilitates lease signings. Excel also assigns each participant a Supportive Services Case Manager, who provides services to ensure the participant’s housing stability. Services include, but are not limited to:
- Coordination with participants’ Mental Health Case Managers
- Transportation and food services
- Income and benefits acquisition
- Community resources connections
- Independent living skills counseling
- Mediation and advocacy
- Provide documentation for Annual Recertification
Eligibility requirements for CoC:
- Hamilton County resident
- 18 years or older
- Qualifying SPMI diagnosis
- Certified Homeless
- Annual Recertification
Excel Property Management
Excel Property Management manages over 90 buildings with more than 375 units scattered throughout Hamilton County. The buildings are owned by Excel Development and the Hamilton County Mental Health Recovery Services Board. Excel is proud to provide full pest extermination services, 24-hour maintenance, and other essential property management services. EPM is proud to go above and beyond to satisfy the residential needs of our tenants.
All of Excel’s functions fall under its mission to house individuals with severe and persistent mental disabilities regardless of barriers. We take pride in meeting or exceeding HUD standards in all units we manage or subsidize.
Impact
In the 1980’s, Psychiatric hospitals closed their doors and mental healthcare took a turn toward community-based services. As a result, many patients were left with nowhere to go. Excel Development was established to strengthen the community by developing, managing, and subsidizing housing for those community members across Hamilton County diagnosed with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness (SPMI). Our organization is rooted in second chances, empathy, and bettering our community, and is altogether devoted to the cause of shrinking the harmful resource gap and helping our participants to obtain stable and affordable housing.
We recognize that SPMI often comes with varying levels of vulnerability and creates barriers to attaining and maintaining independent housing. While all of Excel’s participants have been deemed capable of living independently by mental health professionals, they benefit from our support and the support of our community partners. We operate with a passion to assist our participants in overcoming their unique barriers to meet their greatest potential. Excel partners with agencies across the community to connect participants to the most valuable resources, and hope to continue to build new partnerships as they benefit our mission and our participants.
Contact Us
Business Hours
Monday‐Friday 8:30 am ‐ 4:30 pm
Closed for Lunch 1:00 pm ‐ 2:00 pm
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Board Members
Susan Argo
Chairperson
Anita Kuppin
Vice-Chairperson
Martin Ackerman
Treasurer
John Frank, Jr.
Secretary
Zamaris Gelenszinski
At-Large
Trena Goodwin
At-Large
Trina Turner
At-Large
Martha Wassermann
At-Large
Web Brewer
At-Large
Our Mission
Excel Development Co., Inc. provides housing and supportive services to one of Cincinnati’s most vulnerable populations—those overcoming severe and persistent mental illness while experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.