Myra lives in San Jose and is a member of The Kelsey Ayer Station Community Advisory Group. She is currently on a housing waitlist, and has shared with us her story.
“My name is Myra, I’m 33 years old and I live in San Jose with my mom and dad. I’m currently on a waitlist to live on my own, since I’m a Regional Center client, yet I was told that I could wait up to 10 years until there is something available. I want to live on my own but am unsure that I’ll ever get the opportunity with the supports that I need to make it a positive experience. A few years ago, I lived in Oregon, but it didn’t work out, because my housing didn’t support me like I had hoped it would.
My ideal housing community environment would be rural to urban. Safety and security are a big concern and priority for me, but inclusion is my highest priority. I would love to have a pet friendly place for dogs and cats, or even community events that I could go to using public transportation that fails to run in my area on the weekend.
For me, inclusive housing seems to address the lack of user-friendly spaces and sensory needs of different people. I’m most interested in hearing the positive outcomes inclusive housing provides when people move in. Inclusive housing could provide me respect from my community and open doors of support.”
Stories by The Kelsey are collected to illustrate the housing issues facing people with disabilities and elevate the voices of adults with disabilities and their families. If you’d like to share your housing story, contact us today.