Serenity Courtyard opens in Macon to house homeless seniors

Serenity Courtyard includes 26 homes for seniors who are homeless and living with mental illness.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Serenity Courtyard of Macon is now officially complete, and residents have already started settling into what many are calling their forever homes.

The project, led by River Edge Behavioral Health, has transformed lives by giving hope and permanent housing to those who have been homeless, particularly those living with mental health challenges.

The development includes 26 one-bedroom, one-bath homes specifically designed for seniors aged 55 and older. To qualify, applicants must be homeless and diagnosed with a mental illness.

Cass Hatcher, CEO of River Edge Behavioral Health, says housing alone isn’t enough. Long-term support is key.

“You can get somebody into a house, but having a support system is what’s needed to remain there for the rest of their lives,” Hatcher said.

Each resident is assigned a case manager who provides wraparound services, including life skills training, help with doctor appointments and medication management.

Funding for Serenity Courtyard came from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Rental assistance ensures the homes remain affordable.

“Someone living here, if they have no income whatsoever, we receive a grant that pays both their income and their rent,” Hatcher said. “If they do have income, no more than 30% of the income goes towards their rent utilities,”

So far, 18 of the 26 homes are occupied, and River Edge hopes to fill the remaining units by the end of this month or early May.

“We want to give them the dignity and respect that they deserve,” Hatcher said. “That’s because they have a mental illness, they’re homeless, they still have to have dignity and respect.”