Senior services of Van Buren County is looking to expand its services to the community with a new housing facility.

About a year ago, the organization purchased property just south of the parking lot with the idea of developing housing where seniors could reside while having easy access to meals and activities during the day.

During the last South Haven board meeting, executive director Diane Rigozzi explained what the organization is looking to do.

“With Samaritas, which is a non-profit, we are hoping to work with them to build a 53-unit housing facility on that property,” Rigozzi says. “They will own and operate it. We’re going to let them do that and they will purchase the property from us. Between the two of us, they have the same vision that we do.”

The proposed unit will be four stories with 53 one-bedroom units with senior services and Samaritas offices included. Rigozzi says her team is committed to help solve the issue of senior housing in the area.

“We know that there’s a problem,” Rigozzi says. “There’s some wonderful housing in South Haven for seniors right now but there’s about a one year waiting list. We have a lot of seniors that are in need of housing.”

Rigozzi did emphasize to South Haven city council that this is still in the beginning stages.