Clif’s Experience: Affordable Housing Availability For Those Who Need Wheelchair Accessibility
Over 6 years ago I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down. I was blessed to have just a bruised spinal cord and not a complete sever, so there was a window of opportunity for me to rehabilitate myself back to some semblance of normal existence.
Two years later, I found myself in a nursing home working with their limited rehabilitation resources. I got wind of a program provided by the State called the “Aged and Disabled Waiver program,” which would allow me to live in my own home environment. There are other programs similar to this such as “Money Follows the Person.” However, for these programs, there are standards and qualifications that need to be met. After many discussions with my case worker, I qualified for the waiver program. Now the challenge was to find a suitable housing arrangement that was wheelchair accessible. I had no idea of the challenge that was ahead of me.
Wheelchair accessibility is a broad range of specific accommodations. These considerations not only provide more safety but increase personal independence. Some requirements include having a zero-threshold entryway, roll-under bathroom sinks, roll-in showers, and all 36-inch wide doorways. Wider hallways to accommodate a wheelchair are also important. These are just a few of the primary accommodations that need to be considered when one is looking for a wheelchair-accessible living situation. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Fair Housing Act have minimum standards for housing to accommodate all types of disabilities. However, it is important to keep in mind that these are minimum standards and many individuals need customized accessible features in their homes.
When I began my search, I looked at several independent senior living communities in the Fort Wayne area, and to no avail did I find anything that met my needs. Fort Wayne Housing Authority had nothing available at that time, plus there was a waiting list. I found absolutely nothing. So, I had to whittle down my list of requirements just to discover anything that might work. Unfortunately, at that time, I was unaware of any resources that would point me in the direction to find suitable, affordable housing that addressed my needs. I ended up finding a place with a zero-threshold entryway. Everything else was a typical standard living design which presented other issues.
After being through this exhausting experience, I discovered that the need for affordable wheelchair-accessible housing is past the critical stage. Consider this: three out of every four people in the next 10 years will either need accessible resources or know someone directly who needs these resources. Some of us may have children who need specific accommodations due to a congenital disability. Many of us will age to the point where we need these services simply due to just getting older. Or you can acquire a need for accessible housing by having a car accident or a stroke (acquired disability). The need is urgent.
There are advocacy groups AWS, The League, Turnstone, and the Back Home in Indiana Alliance—which are all advocating for more affordable, accessible housing to be built. Some builders are starting to see the need. The federal and the state government can make a significant impact if they simply require that any housing projects funded by the federal or state government include a significant percentage (30%) of the housing units to be livable for people needing wheelchair-accessible housing.
If you want to get involved, I encourage you to contact your local politicians and let them know that you are concerned and would like to make them aware of the need for more affordable housing for those with disabilities.
If you’re searching for accessible housing, there are resources available that can provide and assist you in getting more information. The AWS Community-Resource Finder is a great place to start. Below is a short list of local organizations that can also help.
Aging & In-Home Services of Northeast Indiana
260-745-1200
(Formerly the league for the blind and disabled). They provide a wide variety of services related to folks with not only the blind community but the hearing impaired and also provide home health services as well. In addition, they do have minimal dollars available for home modifications. 260-441-0551
