Iron House

After completing programming at Guiding Light’s downtown facility, recovery clients are able to move to Iron House. Iron House is a community of renovated 2-bedroom apartments in Kentwood. As part of Guiding Light’s values, we are committed to clean, well-maintained environments at all our apartment complexes. These apartments are quality, affordable housing, made possible by our generous West Michigan community.

Iron House residents are working full-time, paying rent, participating in support groups, community meetings, and helping out with yard work and property maintenance. On average, men live at Iron House for a little over a year (a current average of 377.4 days to be exact) and many stay for 2- 3 years.  Following this timeline, Guiding Light is actively involved in encouraging, challenging, and being in relationship with men for a minimum of 18 months, usually more along the lines of 2-4 years. This is a long-term investment in the life and future of these men, and the results are impressive.

Iron House serves a dual purpose as long-term affordable housing as the final piece of programming, and as a social enterprise where the men’s modest rent re-invests in the property management and Guiding Light’s programs.

81% rate of men have reached at least a year of sobriety at Iron House in the last two years, and 78% of men at Iron House have reached at least a year of sobriety since its inception in 2015. This is a group of men committed to living their life in a different way, a life of community and accountability. For men working and living at Iron House, they have an average increase of $4.50/hr in pay over the course of a year!!