Shiloh Place doubles McKinney campus for single mothers and children

In East McKinney, Shiloh Place opened a campus built to do more than put a roof over a family’s head. The nonprofit doubled its local capacity on June 11 with 16 new residential units, a program building, an administration building, green space and playgrounds aimed at helping single mothers stay housed, keep working and finish school.

The new campus sits on four acres at the corner of McDonald Street and Cypress Hill Drive, land Shiloh Place bought from the city in 2021. McKinney City Council approved the zoning request at its Jan. 4, 2022 meeting, and more than 50 letters of support were filed as the project moved forward. A Shiloh Place graduate also told city officials the program changed the trajectory and legacy of her and her children, a reminder that the site was conceived as a family-stabilization tool as much as a housing project.

Shiloh Place said the model covers housing, childcare and tuition for participants who are enrolled full time in a degree or certificate program while working part time. That structure is meant to remove the costs that often push low-income mothers out of school or out of a lease, turning the campus into a bridge between emergency stability and long-term independence. Eppy Thern, the nonprofit’s chief executive, told attendees the effort had been a long journey and said the mission was to expand Shiloh Place’s reach for women and children who need a fresh start.

The opening capped years of fundraising and construction. Shiloh Place announced the second McKinney location in 2022, said in 2023 that it had raised $5.2 million in donations for the new campus, and broke ground on Nov. 20, 2024 on a 16,641-square-foot project expected to house up to 16 families. Nearly 300 people attended the June ribbon cutting, reflecting the broad civic backing behind the build.

Craig International worked on the project with O’Brien Architects, Kimley-Horn, Jordan and Skala Engineers, Strand and Moss Construction. Craig International President James Craig called it one of the most rewarding projects he has worked on and pointed to the community support that kept it moving.

The expansion arrives as McKinney faces a documented affordability squeeze. A city housing assessment completed by Root Policy Research found cost burdens have increased for both renters and owners, and an earlier housing needs study identified a gap of 3,716 affordable units for households making less than $35,000 annually. McKinney leaders discussed the issue again at the city’s first Affordable Housing Summit on April 13, underscoring how small projects like Shiloh Place fit into a much larger shortage. Sixteen units will not close that gap, but they add a tightly targeted option for East McKinney families who need stable housing to keep children in school and mothers on a path to graduation and work.