Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | T | The Exceptional Parent

Fulfilling the dream of home ownership: Niche Inc. helps those with disabilities know the joy neighborhood connection through cohousing communities.

Article Excerpt
Imagine a neighborhood where residents share ownership of all the common areas but privately own their residence. Imagine these residents are a diverse group of individuals of various income levels, abilities, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. Imagine that this unique group of people has planned activities and look out for each other like an extended family. Would you believe that this quality, affordable, universally designed (UD), and sustainable cohousing neighborhood is a place where your adult family member with a disability could own a home?

Inspiration (and plenty of determination) energized Niche Housing volunteers, a group of concerned family members in southeastern Virginia, to visualize alternatives to restrictive, isolated, and unpredictable living arrangements for our loved ones. After researching many options and visualizing the perfect neighborhood, a group of committed volunteers formed Niche Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

In most Virginia cities, when a support services provider includes those services as part of a residential package, the clients don't get to choose where they live; the provider restricts those decisions. Too many of these dwellings are only...