The Ark Apartments
Could you or someone you know benefit from living in a cost-effective, Christian-based, community-centered apartment complex in Waco?
The Ark is a safe, affordable housing environment with a commitment to Christian lifestyle, principles and servanthood. Since 1998, people from all walks of life have come together in order to seek to know God better, become more like Him and serve both Him and each other. Our residents will tell you how the Ark has allowed them to move from living in isolation to living in community. Amidst this process they’ve also learned to see others as God sees them and to steward their financial resources wisely.
Ark residents are from many different backgrounds and life experiences: singles, couples, single parents with kids, senior adults, people with full-time jobs, people living on disability or social security income, and people with mental health and other vulnerabilities. However, there are some minimum requirements that applicants must meet in order to be accepted into the program.
Prior to approval, Ark applicants must demonstrate these Core Characteristics:
- You’ve committed to and are growing in your faith in Jesus Christ.
- You are interested in learning what it means to live in a Christian Community and are willing to be stretched to implement what you learn.
- You already participate in a local expression of the body of Christ. At minimum this is practiced by regular, in-person attendance for worship gatherings.
- You already participate in a small group of some kind (AA, NA, Celebrate Recovery, Sunday School class, Bible study/accountability group, church community group).
- You intend to stay at the Ark for a minimum of one year.
- You have been sober from alcoholism or drug addiction for at least 9 months. And are active (regular participation) in a recovery program.
- Your financial records from the past six months show that you have sufficient income for the Ark housing fee structure; the housing fee plus electricity should not exceed 30% of your monthly income.
- You can show a recent history of stable housing. A transitional shelter program counts; emergency shelters do not. Six months preferred.
- You have an existing support system in place that is available for help in times of need. Issues include, but are not limited to, legal, recovery, mental health, child custody, domestic violence, probation, family, etc. At least some of the support system should be local to Waco.
- You have read, understood, and are willing to follow the Ark Community Guidelines (these are distributed to applicant during the interview process).
While living at the Ark, these are our Core Characteristics for residents:
Ark Residents are GROWING
- You continue to show stability and growth in the aforementioned areas of characteristics of Applicants.
- You work together with Mission Waco staff to create a Life Plan for holistic growth, identifying vocational, spiritual, emotional, mental, recreational, financial and health-related goals. You will meet one-on-one (2X year minimum) with and give updates to a Mission Waco Mission World social worker or case manager.
Ark Residents are CONTRIBUTING
- You actively participate in community life at the Ark.
- You pay housing fees on time, including late fees if applicable.
- You are a caring steward for Mission Waco property by keeping your apartment in a safe and sanitary condition, and helping to care for common spaces.
Ark Residents are LOVING
- You demonstrate a willingness to work together in building a Christ-like and peaceful community. We encourage you to consider scriptures like Philippians 2, 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5 and Colossians 3:12-17.
- You are emotionally open to the challenges of growing in understanding of and in relating with your neighbors.
- You are a peace maker and peace keeper.
Housing Fees
Housing fees are based on a percentage of income within a minimum/maximum range for affordability. The complex consists of 18 apartment units typically housing 20-30 people: fourteen one-bedroom units, one efficiency unit, one two-bedroom unit and one three-bedroom unit. Residents pay for their own electricity.
Interested?
Once you’ve reviewed all of the Core Characteristics above, contact Natalie West via email to let her know: (1) you have completed that step, and (2) that you are requesting an Ark Housing Program Application. Applications are reviewed as apartments become available.
AVAILABILITY as of 10.20.25:
We are accepting applications at present for one 1-BR unit and one Efficiency unit — both units are expected to be available by early November. We are also accepting applications for a 3BR-2BA family unit — and we expect this unit to be available by mid-November.
We take applications about 3-8 weeks prior to whenever we know we will have a unit available. You are welcome to check back here for updates.
Also, it is very rare for a family unit to come available as only 2 of our 18 units are suitable for a family, and we have low turnover on those units.
