JOPLIN, Mo. – Work is underway on the Forest Park North Apartments in Joplin.

This 7.3 million dollar, 40-unit apartment complex looks to provide affordable housing to both special needs veterans and individuals earning 50% of the median area income or below.

“It’s a great opportunity to help people who can actually use some additional help, or have income that just doesn’t quite get it there,” said Economic Security Corporation CEO John Joines.

The new complex is being developed by the O’Reily Development Company in partnership with the Economic Security Corporation of the Southwest Area, who’s no stranger to providing affordable housing to 4-State veterans. They own the Joplin Bungalows which has been offering affordable homes to local vets for about a year now, and say the need for such housing dramatically increased after the Joplin tornado.

“From Maiden Lane over to Main Street, a lot of affordable, old homes built in the 1930s and 40s were gone. I mean literally, you could just see foundations left,” said ESC Resource Development Director Debbie Markman.

Joines says the Forest Park North Apartments should open in early January of next year, and that’s music to the ears of Joplin VFW Post 534 Commander Bruce Redden.

“We help quite a few veterans throughout the year with (affordable housing) and sometimes we’re strapped about how we can help them. This is going to help us immensely to help them,” said Redden.

The Economic Security Corporation is not yet accepting applications for the new apartments, but encourage people to keep an eye on their Facebook page and website for an upcoming announcement.