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Aurora Housing Authority outlines Sanctuary on Potomac: 43-unit permanent supportive housing campus with services funded for five years
Summary
Martin Petrov of the Aurora Housing Authority described a campus-style permanent supportive housing project, Sanctuary on Potomac, with 43 one‑bedroom units, DOH five‑year services funding (tier 1), HUD vouchers for rent, and construction slated to begin May 2025 for a summer 2026 opening.
Martin Petrov, director of housing development at the Aurora Housing Authority, presented plans for Sanctuary on Potomac, a campus-style permanent supportive housing (PSH) project to be developed adjacent to the Aurora Mental Health and Recovery Center.
Petrov said Sanctuary on Potomac will be a four‑story building with 43 one‑bedroom PSH units and shared amenities including bike storage, a computer room, laundry, a secure courtyard and community rooms. He said all tenant vouchers for the building will be provided by the housing authority and that tenants who remain a year may move to a housing choice voucher, providing mobility to other housing authorities nationwide.
The project timeline Petrov outlined: construction drawings and site-plan approval are underway with a building permit pending; Boston Financial is the equity investor; FirstBank will provide permanent and construction financing; Palace Construction was selected as general contractor; Davis Partnership is the architect. Petrov said financial closing starts in February, ground must break in May 2025 under contract, and construction is expected to take about 13 months for a summer 2026 opening. The Aurora Mental Health and Recovery Center on the same campus is slated to open Q1 2026.
Services and operations: Petrov said Aurora Mental Health and Recovery has committed to provide on‑site clinical services and that the Division of Housing (DOH) has awarded a five‑year services commitment (a tier‑1 determination) to cover services delivered on site. He said Aurora Mental Health will provide staffing and will bill Medicaid where appropriate for clinical services. Petrov described plans for 24/7 coverage including three shifts and on-site security, and said Aurora Mental Health has a large referral pool: "they currently have over 3,000 people that they can refer," he said, noting the provider will prioritize eligible referrals for the 43 units.
Petrov said the building’s design follows trauma‑informed principles and noted examples such as visual sightlines from reception, color-coded floors for wayfinding, elevated beds and compact kitchen footprints aimed at safety and dignity. He cited Mason Place (Fort Collins) as a model worth touring and said Davis Partnership’s trauma‑informed design experience influenced the architect selection.
Why it matters: the Sanctuary on Potomac project adds a modest amount of PSH capacity but pairs housing with an adjacent clinical campus intended to make services more accessible; DOH services funding for five years plus HUD rental support are intended to underwrite services and operations during the project’s early years.
Petrov said he will share ongoing progress updates with the collaborative as construction advances.
