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 following Jesus Christ.
- You desire to grow in your understanding of God, yourself and others through living in Christian community.
- You already participate in a local expression of the body of Christ, including consistent attendance for worship, discipleship, Bible study, etc.
- 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.
- Your financial records from the past six months show that you have sufficient income for the Ark housing fee structure; the housing fee plus utilities 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 a support system in place for other issues. Including, but not limited to legal, recovery, mental health, child custody, domestic violence, probation, etc.
- You have read and understood the Ark Community Life and Guidelines (these are distributed to applicant during the interview process).
While living at the Ark, these are our Core Characteristics for residents:
- You continue to show stability and growth in the aforementioned areas.
- You will create a Life Plan for holistic growth, identifying vocational, spiritual, emotional, mental, recreational, financial and health-related goals. You will meet with and give updates to a Mission Waco Mission World social worker or case manager.
- You must actively participate in Ark community life.
- You must pay housing fees on time, including late fees if applicable.
- You will keep your apartment in a safe and sanitary condition.
- You will 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 will embody Christ in your actions:
- Respecting yourself and others with your words, attitudes, and actions.
- Being a responsible host for your guests.
- Preventing and stopping gossip in the community.
- Valuing others by listening and being considerate of their perspectives.
- Willingness to pursue friendships with other residents.
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 11.19.24:
We ARE accepting applications for the following. Any of these are for a single person or a married couple. These units are not suitable for families due to location, so we will not accept applications with children.
- Ground Floor efficiency unit available.
After the application period has closed, we will reopen taking applications about 3-8 weeks prior to whenever we know we will have another 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.
