Evansville Housing Authority expands community access by making space for nonprofits

Evansville — The Evansville Housing Authority plans to welcome several local nonprofits to its building as it converts vacant space into reasonably priced office units and bridges gaps in access to resources. 

Director of Youth and Resources Courtney Johnson says the move comes after a recent survey revealed that community members near the Evansville Housing Authority felt fatigued by traveling far for resources and wanted better access. The organization spearheaded the initiative to centralize services for residents— while providing affordable rental space to nonprofits. 

According to Nonprofit Finance Fund’s (NFF) 2025 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey, roughly 32% of nonprofits own their buildings, citing factors like operational costs, rising wages, and budget size as reasons some nonprofits are struggling.

The Midwest has the highest nonprofit property ownership at 40%, the South and East are at 34%, and the West at 29%. However, nonprofits in certain areas face other hardships, including racial disparities. The survey highlights inequities in nonprofit property ownership by leadership demographics: 37% of white-led nonprofits own their own facility compared to 25% of nonprofits led by people of color. This gap shows that not everyone has the same opportunities.

Johnson emphasizes that, once completed, the project will offer nonprofits far more than affordable office space. Plans include a modern computer lab open to both the public and nonprofits, as well as a library. He even mentioned early talks of incorporating a daycare center.

EHA currently supports around 5,000 people through various programs and resources. They’ve distributed more than 1,900 housing choice vouchers, 30 Veterans Affairs supportive housing vouchers, and 14 homeownership vouchers. The organization also addresses food disparities and offers a range of programs. 

Johnson says the upgraded sections of their building aim to build on their existing resources and serve as a hub for engagement. 

“We just got this open. I would say close to a year now, and the space is filling up. But we still have a ton of spaces that are available,” Johnson said. “There’s going to be so many different opportunities, and we’ll be able to serve more people. That was the whole purpose of getting this building and expanding.”

In Evansville, leasing a commercial rental property can cost as little as $900 a month to as much as $10,000. Smaller spaces around 2,000 square feet could cost roughly $15 per square foot, while spaces over 5,000 square feet average around $8 per square foot. 

Johnson couldn’t share a price for nonprofit space rentals at this time. However, he noted EHA might be willing to negotiate rental packages for struggling nonprofits — contingent on circumstances and criteria.

“I think EHA is willing to work with a nonprofit, especially if it’s a nonprofit that is serving the community,” Johnson said. “I think that is one of the key things that they had mentioned with getting this space. How many nonprofits are really serving this community that may not have that space? And there are a lot of nonprofits that have bounced around.”