The Kelsey convenes the “Inclusive Houser Network,” an industry group of organizations developing or operating inclusive housing throughout the United States. This group currently includes sixteen organizations, one of which is Main Street, based in Rockville, Maryland. Main Street had been a longtime partner and collaborator with The Kelsey, including co-hosting the Building Inclusivity convening in 2021.

Main Street opened its doors in August 2020. In addition to their beautiful, bright, and modern apartments, they launched a membership-based community in their vibrant 10,000 sq. ft. community space at the base of the building, open to those with and without disabilities, including residents and non-residents who join as members. Main Street offers up to 20+ weekly virtual and in-person programs delivered by a diverse array of community partners and centered around culture, movement, wellness, art, food, and social opportunities. Programs are for everyone (residents and community members) to come as they are and choose how they participate, learn and connect.

This guest author piece from Jillian Copeland, Main Street Founder, shares what meaningful programming looks like, lessons learned from resident experiences, and how to support community-driven input and leadership.

Main Street is one of the nation’s first inclusive, affordable, accessible housing projects! Our building is comprised of 70 units, and 75% of all units are affordable. From the onset, we set aside 25% (17 units) for adults with disabilities. Currently, we have 52 people who self-identify as having a disability residing at Main Street, with a total of 150-180 residents. 

We are also quite proud of our Main Street programs, which provide opportunities for learning, movement, growth and connection. Most of our 18+ weekly programs occur in our 10,000-square-foot community center located on our ground floor. We offer a wide range of programs—from Monday Night Meditation and Afrobeat Dance Workout, to Game Days and Friday Vibes. Our programming model is membership-based (residents choose whether to become members; everything is voluntary), which has allowed us to expand our community beyond the walls of Main Street.  
Main Street has significantly improved the quality of life for many of our residents, both with and without disabilities, and their family members. You can read more about this in our research study here. We believe the following factors are essential in creating a meaningful resident experience that allows our residents to feel a sense of community and belonging.

First, thoughtful preparation went into the design and the “feel” of Main Street, starting with surveying adults with disabilities and their families. We asked the questions:

And we listened. 

At the same time, while surveying and asking important questions, we began building our inclusive community. We hosted bi-weekly community events and invited neighbors, colleagues, friends and family to join us for a summer pool party, bowling, hiking, breakfasts and pizza meet-ups, as well as educational and sporting events and community service projects. So in a nutshell, two important things were happening at once: We were building our inclusive community while we were physically building the apartment building. What came next was super exciting-as our building was complete, our community was unified and in a few short weeks, our first resident would be living at Main Street! 

As we learned from our conversations and research, living independently comes with many challenges and is an adjustment for both residents and their families, so our next step was to help future Main Street residents and their families transition to independent living. We created an educational series, our Residential Onboarding Series, to help residents transition to their new home at Main Street—40 residents attended. This six-week series included:

Additionally, we facilitated concurrent sessions for parents and caregivers to include discussions and strategies on:

And then August 2020 arrived, and people moved in! That’s when the real work began. After residents started moving to Main Street, there were several safety concerns and events—including a power outage and a middle of the night fire alarm—that led us to create a Safety and Preparation Series for both parents and adults with disabilities. 

These efforts and lessons learned in 2020 were the springboard to our current partnerships with local law enforcement, who continue to support our residents and members. Officers join us for lunch, discuss safety reminders, and are present at Main Street to support our residents and members and allow them to feel a sense of safety. One exciting thing that came out of these partnerships and discussions is our new Resident Safety Council. This council is made up of Main Street residents with and without disabilities, law enforcement, and Main Street staff. Really exciting stuff! 

For us, 2020 was all about the lessons that we learned. We knew we had to find ways to keep our residents and members connected, engaged and stimulated. Our programs were thoughtful and diverse, providing something for everyone. We believe (and our data supports) that this connectivity and these opportunities to build and maintain friendships and feel supported by one another have been quite impactful in creating a safe space for residents and members to belong. The mother of one Main Street resident, a 32-year-old who has down syndrome, says her daughter made friends through our remote programming even before she moved in. Now that she’s living at Main Street, her daughter always seems to have something going on. “To have a group of your peers on-site so that you can have lunch, or go do a program with them, and have your next-door neighbor over for dinner? That’s what’s life-changing,” she told us. “Life is full—it’s nice.”

We continue to use best practices, ask important questions, encourage feedback, and work with our community to create and modify programs and offer thoughtful opportunities for all. This involves partnerships with public safety officials, other like-minded nonprofits, and local government, which, of course, couldn’t happen without dedicated, caring, and committed staff. Our programs continue to educate, empower, connect, and inspire.

Lastly, we feel the specific design considerations and accessibility features found at Main Street are essential, and every unit has the same high-quality materials and safety mechanisms, whether the unit is affordable or market rate. Additionally, special elements in the apartments and throughout Main Street, including colors, light, bright spaces with many windows, user-friendly glass doors, “quiet pockets,” audible elevators, smart home technology and other features, allow for accessibility and inclusion. 

And while accessibility matters, and these elements are critical when providing a space for all, we must not forget what, to me, is equally as important—and that is a culture of respect. When you walk through the doors of Main Street, you feel welcomed and included. This is a nonjudgmental safe space to BE YOU and DO YOU, and I cannot stress enough the importance of this “welcoming ethos.” Our members come to programs and have a home away from home. Our residents join us for classes, social events, or to just hang because they feel included—and many for the first time. There is a “pride,” a sense of worthiness that comes not only from a building of color and light and accessible spaces, but also from an environment of warmth and kindness. People are walking taller, feeling a sense of self and community efficacy, learning new things, feeling connected to others and experiencing a sense of freedom and independence. This is what the Main Street resident experience looks and feels like—and this is what moves the needle and changes lives.