We can’t build a disability-forward housing future alone. It takes a global community of advocates, housers, civic leaders, and champions working together to ensure people with and without disabilities have their housing needs met. That’s why we support other organizations working in this field through open-source resources, technical assistance, and now, mini capacity building grants to organizations working on their own disability-forward projects.
On My Own of Michigan is a nonprofit that provides wrap-around services to support independent living for people with developmental disabilities. On My Own is in the pre-development stage of building affordable housing for people with and without disabilities to address a common barrier to independent living: housing costs. The community will provide 100 affordable, inclusive homes in Oakland County, MI, with 50 units reserved for people with disabilities. The project aims to create a multi-generational environment that could serve both adults with disabilities and low-income older adults.
The team has been using our Disability-Forward Housing: Starting Up collection to navigate the complex pre-development phase. After a 6-year search for land in a high-cost, highly developed market, they are using these Learn Center resources to turn their vision into a reality.
“We’re so grateful to be selected as the first recipient of a mini-grant from The Kelsey. As we work to create inclusive housing for people with and without disabilities, The Kelsey has been an invaluable source of guidance and inspiration. As first-time housing developers, there’s so much we don’t yet know. But what we know for sure is that there’s a significant shortage of safe, affordable, and disability-forward housing options. With The Kelsey’s support, we’re taking steps each day to more fully realize our mission of making independent living possible for people with developmental disabilities.” – Jennifer Roccanti, Chief Executive Officer, On My Own of Michigan
We’re proud to be working alongside this team to create a better, more equitable housing future for everyone, and look forward to watching this community come to life!