About Creative Housing Solutions
About Creative Housing Solutions
Introduction
Creative Housing Solutions is a collection of personal stories describing unique journeys of individuals with developmental disabilities who have created their own places to live that reflect their dreams and desires for a full life rooted in home and community. Please browse the links on the left to read the stories and find information, strategies, ideas, and advice about how existing resources, both public and private, can be customized to create the right housing and personal supports to accommodate an individual’s vision and lifestyle. One or more of these stories may provide just the right information or a seed of inspiration to begin or continue the journey of finding a desirable housing situation for you or your family member.
How can we ever underestimate the importance of home – the place from which so many of us we experience security, privacy, decision-making, personal growth, and connection to family, friends, and neighbors? We all desire to live in a place we call our own. These stories of inspiration and hope describe how people with developmental disabilities have seized opportunities and overcome barriers to create the right housing and lifestyle that support each of their unique visions of a good life.
One thing is for certain – nothing stays the same. Roommates can come and go, a great personal care provider may move on to another job, a perfect rental home could be sold, or a job may be lost. Since the process of putting these stories together started there have been a number of changes to some of the situations you will read about. This is consistent with one of the main threads that runs through these stories – that of ever-changing circumstances. We are constantly in the process of creating a life we desire and we are always adjusting to change.
Creating these unique housing arrangements would not have been possible without the commitment, strength, perseverance, and innovation of the individuals and their families. There are housing options that will provide the right mix of security, independence, and growth for your family member. No two solutions are the same. Often, finding the right housing situation and the right support to live in the home is just the beginning. The following stories describe families confronting issues, creating opportunities, responding to events and life changes as they continue their journey of creating a fulfilling life with their family member with disabilities. We hope these personal stories provide you with ideas and inspiration to follow your own hopes and dreams, and that they lead to just the right home for your family member to both live and thrive.
Acknowledgments
We want to acknowledge the enthusiastic and generous contributions of the families and individuals and personal care providers who shared their story to make this booklet possible. A special thanks goes to Carolyn Carlson who, in coordination with King County Developmental Disabilities Division, met and interviewed each family and wrote their stories.
The process of capturing these stories and sharing them with the community has been a collaborative effort involving many contributors. Neither King County Developmental Disabilities nor The Arc of King County have sponsored or endorsed one particular housing arrangement over another. The intent is that by compiling and making these different stories available to the community, families in King County will be given additional ideas and resources related to housing options for their loved ones with developmental disabilities. If you have questions around housing pertaining to your particular circumstances, please contact either the Housing Coordinator at King County Developmental Disabilities Division or your DDD Case/Resource Manager.
We would like to recognize the following individuals for their part in making the Creative Housing Solutions project a reality:
Pam Blanton – former Housing Coordinator King County DDD
Beth Boram – former DD Housing Planner, King County Community Services Division
Karl Tegenfeldt – Housing Coordinator, King County DDD (2008 – present)
Ray Jensen – Director, King County DDD
Jane Campbell – former Assistant Director, King County DDD
Kathy and Bill Sellars – Jackson Place Cohousing founding members; parent advocates
Sherry McNary – W.i.S.e. Coordinator of My Home My Life Family Networking group
Sylvia Fuerstenberg – Executive Director, The Arc of King County
Joane O’Neill – Parent Training Coordinator, The Arc of King County Parent Coalition,
Linda Roche – Affordable Housing Director, Parkview Services
Marc Cote – Home Ownership Director, Parkview Services
For more information, please contact:
Housing Coordinator
King County Developmental Disabilities Division
206-263-9048 (direct line)
206-263-9061 (reception desk)
