Arnold woman proposing transitional housing program for women

An Arnold woman says she’s following the hand of God, and her sister’s dream, as she works to establish a home for women in need.

Amanda Wheeler is seeking approval from the city to open The Battle Life, a transitional housing program, on Fourth Avenue.

The home would accommodate up to five women at a time, and they would live there for between six months and two years. They could be coming from homelessness, shelters or leaving abusive relationships with nowhere else to go. The minimum age would be 24, and children would not be accepted.

Wheeler wants to teach women how to survive “the battle” and break cycles that often are inherited across generations. She bills the home as offering a structured, safe and supportive living environment focused on self-development, life skills and personal growth leading to independence.

“I’m just here to help the community I was raised in,” said Wheeler, 33. “I want the people who feel like they have no one to know that there are people willing to help them.”

A hearing before Arnold’s zoning hearing board is scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at the public safety building, 601 Drey St. Wheeler’s proposal requires a special exception from the city.

If approved, Wheeler plans to open the house by early July.

A native of Atlanta, Wheeler has lived in the Arnold area since she was 9. She graduated from Valley High School in 2010 and has worked in health care and nursing in doctor’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and private homes. She also is a certified health and life coach.

Wheeler plans to offer health and life coaching services to men and women 13 and older, using a detached garage behind the house as an office. A one-hour session would cost $50.

“A lot of people get therapist and life coach mixed up. The main difference is I don’t prescribe medicine. I don’t dig into or try to unfold your past,” she said. “I focus on what we can do now, what can we fix now and how can we move forward so you can get into a healthy space.”

Wheeler said a sister, whom she hadn’t spoken with in years, called about a year ago and told her of a dream she had about Wheeler running a halfway house.

“I didn’t take it seriously at first. I had a lot going on,” she said. “It just never left me.”

After leaving her job at a rehabilitation center, Wheeler was thinking about what she would do next when she stumbled on a YouTube video about transitional housing and started looking into it.

“I decided to put my nursing background and my coaching together,” she said.

After initially trying to use a house in Lower Burrell, Wheeler came upon a three-story, four-bedroom house for sale in Arnold, which she bought in June.

“It was in good shape for the most part,” she said. “The layout is perfect. Maybe this was just my calling to this house.”

Some of Wheeler’s neighbors have yet to meet her and on Thursday were unaware of her proposed use of the house. One woman across the street said she’d have no concerns about it.

Nadine Noel said her family came to Arnold from Florida in May. She said their neighbors are nice and the area is quiet.

“If she’s helping people, that’s a good thing,” Noel said.

Residents of The Battle Life will have to sign a contract, Wheeler said. Residents will be screened, the house has security, and a curfew will be enforced. Residents would not be allowed to have company without approval.

“The last thing I want is any type of drama or anything to go down,” she said. “I’ll be there every day.”

The contract will have zero tolerance for drugs or weapons. Random drug testing will be done, Wheeler said. Violators would be released from the program within 24 hours.

“I don’t have to keep anyone there. I can dismiss anybody from the premises for breaking rules,” she said. “My job is to protect the girls and protect everyone else around us. This program is all about transitioning your life and wanting better.”

Residents would be required to have jobs and to save money toward a deposit and first month’s rent for homes of their own.

“The goal is to move out,” Wheeler said.