ELKHART, Ind. (AP) — The city of Elkhart is using federal funding to turn a vacant apartment building into housing for local homeless residents.

Elkhart’s Redevelopment Commission recently earmarked nearly $50,000 in federal block grant funds to repair the apartments and install new appliances. The commission bought the building in April for about $167,500 using similar funding.

The Elkhart Truth reports officials want to allow transitional homeless individuals to live in the 12-unit complex while they move through treatment programs to make themselves more self-sufficient.

Crystal Welsh is Elkhart’s director of development services. She says the city expects that it will be at least another 60 days before homeless residents can begin moving into the revamped complex.