Driving our Future Homes

Housing Resource Hub

Thrive West Central is the driving force behind a housing production pipeline that perfectly aligns with our region’s market potential. With a focus on existing and new residents, we can build a prosperous future for everyone. Join us on this transformative journey, and let’s make our communities thrive.

The Housing Resource Hub is a data-driven initiative aimed at creating high-impact housing solutions through robust public-private partnerships. Our comprehensive approach encompasses a wide range of housing types, from workforce housing strategies to low- to moderate-income, senior housing, and market-rate developments. The Housing Resource Hub serves as a valuable resource for individuals and communities interested in creating and expanding housing opportunities.

The Housing Resource Hub is committed to providing innovative programs to foster homeownership, such as down payment assistance, home repair, and credit improvement programs. We believe in empowering individuals and communities to achieve their housing goals and build a strong foundation for the future.

We specialize in developing and implementing workforce housing strategies, housing development, and homebuyer programs. Our approach is grounded in a deep understanding of the challenges facing communities and our clients. We work closely with our partners to develop customized solutions that meet their unique needs and goals. We are ready to assist you with:

We are working diligently to bring you more valuable resources and programs in the near future. Stay tuned for exciting additions, including:

  • Community Housing Development (CHDO) resources
  • Homebuyer programs
  • Home repair programs
  • Lender partnerships

Programs

The Hub has a variety of development programs available to communities, builders, developers, and other community partners.

Club 720

Unlock your financial potential with Club 720®, your all-in-one platform for down payment assistance, credit building resources, wealth-building education, and financial empowerment.

Building Community Capacity With Swagger

This program partners with governments and other community housing stakeholders to develop a strategy for housing production.

Site Development And Pre-Site Planning

This program works with private developers and landowners to transform underutilized sites into highly productive destinations.

Homes For The Future: Regional Development

This is a regional builder incentive program.

Homes For The Future: Vigo County & The City of Terre Haute

This is a series of builder programs focused on Vigo County and the communities within it, including the region’s anchor City, Terre Haute.

RESOURCES YOU CAN TRUST

The Hub’s Resource Library

The Resource Library is your one-stop shop for data and information to make informed decisions about housing development. Thrive has partnered with Zimmerman-Volk Associates to conduct regional and local market potential analyses. In addition, we have several recorded webinars and other resources that are updated frequently throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thrive West Central Housing Resource Hub is an innovative initiative aimed at addressing housing challenges and creating high-impact solutions for our communities in West Central Indiana. The hub takes a data-driven approach, leveraging the Housing Optimization through Market Empowerment (H.O.M.E.) Method, to analyze market potential, identify catalyst sites, and develop a housing production pipeline that meets the needs of our region.

The Housing Resource Hub focuses on all housing types, including workforce housing strategies, low to moderate-income housing, senior housing, and market-rate housing developments. Our goal is to provide a range of housing options that cater to the diverse needs of our residents and contribute to a balanced and thriving community.

We understand the concerns about preserving the character of neighborhoods and communities. The Housing Resource Hub is committed to ensuring responsible development that aligns with the unique identity of each area. Our data-driven approach ensures that housing solutions are right-sized to the market potential, maintaining a balanced mix of housing types while respecting the existing fabric of neighborhoods.

We recognize that housing development may put strain on infrastructure and public services. The Housing Resource Hub works in collaboration with local governments and stakeholders to identify and address infrastructure needs, such as transportation, utilities, and community facilities. By focusing on high-impact strategies and engaging in public-private partnerships, we ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with housing development.

The Housing Resource Hub is dedicated to improving housing accessibility and empowering individuals. Through programs such as down payment assistance, home repair, and credit improvement initiatives, we aim to support local residents in achieving their dream of homeownership. Additionally, by jumpstarting the housing market, the hub creates economic opportunities, attracts quality developers, and enhances the overall quality of life in our communities.

The Housing Resource Hub plays a vital role in supporting local employers by increasing the availability of quality housing options for employees. Accessible and affordable housing can attract and retain a talented workforce, boosting economic growth and strengthening the local business community. Thrive West Central actively collaborates with employers to understand their needs and develop customized housing solutions that align with their workforce requirements.

Realtors, banks, and lenders are essential partners in our efforts to expand housing opportunities. Thrive West Central welcomes their involvement and collaboration in various capacities, such as providing guidance on housing market dynamics, offering financial products that support homeownership, and assisting with the development process. A unique feature of our initiative will be a data-driven platform that connects residents and employees seeking to buy a home or undertake some other wealth building activity to access resources, such as goal setting, financial education, down payment assistance and other key tools via a mobile app. Local partners who join the platform will be invited to join the platform and connect. We encourage interested professionals to reach out to us directly to explore partnership opportunities.

We value the input and involvement of residents and stakeholders in shaping the future of housing in our communities. To learn more about the Housing Resource Hub, access our resources, or get involved, please visit our website at [website URL]. You can also contact us directly through the provided contact form or email address. We host events, webinars, and community meetings to foster engagement and ensure that everyone’s voices are heard.

Meet Our Team

Our dedicated Housing Team and Housing Committee are passionate about making a positive impact in our communities. Meet the experts who are driving the Housing Resource Hub’s success.

Housing Team

Julie Hart
Julie HartDirector of Housing

Julie joined the Thrive West Central Team in 2023, leading initiatives in housing, public involvement, and community engagement. Her dedication to these areas comes from her background as an extension educator and administrator. Julie’s expertise in managing budgets, offices, and teams underscores the importance of project management, employee engagement, and financial accountability. Building networks and relationships across Indiana led her to Thrive, where she contributes to the new housing initiative.

As the Homes For The Future initiative grew, Julie immersed herself in the sector. Her career in community outreach began with degrees in Public Relations and Public Administration from Indiana State University. Before Thrive, she had a successful 26-year tenure at Purdue University. Outside of work, Julie relaxes at home, travels with her husband, cherishes time with their three grown children, and attends Boilermaker sporting events.

Ryan Keller
Ryan KellerChief Exectuive Officer

Ryan brings over a decade of extensive expertise in leadership development, project development, budgeting, and management, providing organizations with strategic and innovative solutions that enhance overall value. With a track record of leading multiple organizations, Ryan has played a key role in shaping strategic goals and successfully implementing initiatives to drive positive organizational outcomes.

Throughout his career, Ryan has been actively involved in presenting and leading training workshops. He has engaged with hundreds of educators, business professionals, and entrepreneurs, offering insights on a diverse range of topics. These include leadership strategies, effective communication, strategic planning, business plan development, instructional technologies, and best practices in instruction. Ryan’s commitment to sharing knowledge and facilitating growth has made a significant impact in empowering individuals and organizations to thrive in their respective fields.

Michele Barrett
Michele BarrettUrban Growth Strategist

With over 30 years in law enforcement and a psychology degree from Purdue University, she has brought a comprehensive viewpoint to public safety and community interaction. Michele’s career spans city, county, and federal agencies, collaborating with officials to tackle complex challenges. She has also volunteered extensively with organizations like Big Brother Big Sister and Special Olympics, enriching her dedication to inclusivity and empathy.

Starting with a firm resolve to serve and protect, Michele has held various roles, progressively moving into leadership. Rising through the ranks, she established key partnerships with community leaders, officials, campus entities, and law enforcement. These partnerships have been crucial for launching crime prevention tactics, advancing public safety measures, and fostering community involvement initiatives in the Terre Haute Police Department and the Indiana State University Police Department.

Heather Presley-Cowen
Heather Presley-CowenCapital Stacker and Strategic Consultant

Heather Presley-Cowen has made remarkable strides in addressing the housing crisis by developing an innovative solution that harmonizes the diverse elements of local housing systems. Rather than following a “disruptive” approach, she has opted for a method that enhances and optimizes existing systems, bringing together various system partners like banks, lenders, builders, developers, realtors, local governments, and community leaders. This harmony-focused approach is a testament to the power of collaboration and the potential of integrated systems in producing sustainable solutions.

Christopher Volk-Zimmerman
Christopher Volk-ZimmermanData and Analytics Consultant

Christopher Volk-Zimmerman is the principal in charge of Zimmerman/Volk Associates’ market studies and is now the firm’s primary analyst of demographic, market, and lifestyle trends. He has served in support of every ZVA assignment since joining the firm full-time in 2010. He has responsibility for the continuous refinement of the algorithms underlying ZVA’s proprietary target market methodology, improving the methodology’s accuracy and efficiency. He has expanded the geographic scope of ZVA’s target market analysis, developing the methodology specifically for Canada. Since 2013 he has served as principal of the firm’s west coast assignments.

Gabriel Cheek
Gabriel CheekChief Technology Officer & Marketing

Gabe’s IT experience began in the fourth grade, when he first started tinkering with computers, and continued into his high school years, when he became a Microsoft Certified professional. Since then, Gabe has collected over 30 years’ experience in IT and 25 years in Marketing and Web Design, all while supporting more than 4,500 users.

From overseeing projects and living on multiple continents Gabe has seen a bit of everything.

He is also a skilled entrepreneur and a devoted community volunteer, with more than 20,000 hours of community service experience.

Admin Team

Shelly Madden
Shelly MaddenChief Operating Officer
Ashley Gordon
Ashley GordonDirector of Human Resources
Chris Durcholz
Chris DurcholzLeadership Coach
Shelly Amerman
Shelly AmermanPublic Relations Manager
Dana McLain
Dana McLainController
Alison Bryant
Alison BryantAccount Specialist
Becky Edwards
Becky EdwardsReception
Kirrsten Todd
Kirrsten ToddReception

Experience the Thrive Difference 

Choose Thrive West Central Housing Resource Hub and turn housing development challenges into community-enhancing successes. Connect with us today and let’s build thriving communities together. 

Contact us today to learn more about our offerings and how we can help your community thrive.