There’s a new place in Binghamton for the formerly homeless to live.

Opportunities For Broome held a grand opening today at 88 and 90 Carroll Street downtown.

It has ten apartments, eight studios for individuals and two 2-bedroom apartments for families.

The $1.8 million dollar project was mostly paid for by the New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program.

Plus, the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative is providing money for supportive programs for the tenants, including mental health care and even job training.

OFB CEO Mark Silvanic says, “We’ve actually had individuals that have come into programs like this that are now homeowners, taxpayers with jobs in our city.  And that’s really, homelessness to home ownership is what we think it should be all about.”

Alonzo Harper moved into one of the family apartments with his 15 year-old son a couple months ago.

Before that, he stayed with friends and lived in a shelter.

Now he’s found work and is dreaming of one day owning his own home.

He says the staff at OFB encouraged him to work through the eligibility process even when he wanted to give up.

“They’ve given me faith in other people, actually.  Because I didn’t think that nobody would fight for anybody out here,” Harper says.

The Broome County United Way also chipped in $75,000 which was used to shore up the building’s northern facing wall.

Opportunities For Broome also operates supportive housing units in the buildings on either side of 88 Carroll, as well as the Homeless Veterans Home around the corner on Pine Street.