MADISON, Wis. -- The Madison Common Council on Tuesday night approved a plan to give Porchlight city land on the far East Side to build transitional housing.

The approval means the city will likely get land where the Truman Olson Army Reserve Center sits on Park Street after it closes in 2011.

Porchlight, a group that helps the homeless, will now base its operations out of a now-vacant lot on Nakoosa Trail by the East Side Wal-Mart.

However, if there are any problems or additional costs, the Common Council would have to approve them first. Additionally, if any larger problems develop with the site, the project could revert back to the Park Street location and the city would keep the East Side land.

Porchlight said it hopes plans keep moving forward.

"Probably the major reason why we're interested in engaging in this swap is because we could get the land sooner," said Porchlight Executive Director Steve Schooler. "The base is scheduled to close in 2011 and we might not get the land until 2012 or 2013, which is way down the road."

Porchlight could start raising money and building at the Nakoosa Trail site as soon as late 2009. The group plans to build 14 units of transitional housing for the homeless as well as 24 apartment-type units on the property.

At the Nakoosa Trail site, Porchlight has room for 16 more units in the future, something that would be a much tighter fit on the Park Street site. Porchlight will be responsible for the cost of doing environmental upgrades to the Nakoosa site.