GRACE Marketplace – A Decade in the Making to End Homelessness in Gainesville and Alachua County
Before the first person stepped through the welcoming gates of GRACE Marketplace in 2014, nearly ten years of dedicated effort had already laid the foundation for this transformative campus.
The Vision and Plan
The journey began in 2005 when local government officials partnered with the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless & Hungry to develop a comprehensive strategy to end homelessness. This collaboration resulted in the groundbreaking Project GRACE: The Gainesville/Alachua County 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness—a detailed 57-page report that set forth a bold vision and actionable roadmap.
Addressing Root Causes
Project GRACE tackled homelessness by addressing its root causes, focusing on critical barriers such as:
The lack of affordable housing
The absence of a living wage
The plan outlined multi-pronged strategies designed to rapidly move people off the streets and into safe, stable housing while simultaneously emphasizing preventative services to stop at-risk individuals and families from becoming homeless in the first place.
A Dual Approach for Lasting Impact
By combining rapid rehousing efforts with proactive prevention, Project GRACE aims to reduce homelessness on two fronts—helping those currently without homes regain stability while protecting vulnerable populations from future displacement.
A Community Commitment
GRACE Marketplace stands as a testament to years of collaborative planning, community engagement, and unwavering commitment to creating lasting solutions for homelessness in Gainesville and Alachua County.