HOPE, Housing Options for People with Exceptionalities, is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose vision is to create an intentional, inclusive community in the Triangle area of North Carolina for people with and without disabilities. Families of adult children with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have a primary concern: Where will their children live? Who will care for them? Will their life hold dignity and purpose? Will they be connected to their community by making meaningful, productive contributions? And most concerning, who will help care for their children once parents are no longer able to do so? These concerns are the driving force in HOPE’s vision to create a community. 

Client:

Hope NC

Services Provided:

Planning and Design

The Problem/Challenge:

Submission for UNC CARES: Building Capacity for Home and Community Based Services through Collective Impact grant

Our Process:

Five week intensive strategic development and collaborative grant writing process

End Result:

A vision for collective impact including commitment from core partners; A theory of change and logic model; two clearly articulated project designs for intentionally inclusive housing (Ground-up project and Integrated Project); A more cohesive team; Final grant submission

 

CASE: Collective Impact for Inclusive, Diverse, Engaging, Affordable and Lifelong Communities (Collective Impact for IDEAL) is building communities that share the values in our name. Communities that create a sense of belonging for all neighbors, not just adults with I/DD, other disabilities, and older adults.

 

Two community models, designed with scalability in mind, are envisioned: the Ground-up Community will be an intentionally built community with universal design, open spaces for community gathering, and amenities like a coffee shop and exercise room. It will be mixed-income, with 25% reserved for individuals with I/DD and other disabilities and 20% reserved for older adults and the remaining 50% will be a mix of market rate and workforce housing. 

 

The Integration Community will form within existing or already in development properties, where a negotiated reserve of units will be made deeply affordable for adults with I/DD. 

 

Both communities will have a Community Facilitator to foster a culture of belonging and neighbor-to-neighbor relationships across ages and abilities for friendship and mutual support. Both will be near public transportation, shops and services. 

 

Our inclusive, intergenerational housing model creates belonging for everyone. Affordability makes it possible for those who need it most. Persons with lived experience have been involved in the concept development from the start. We will continue to foster engagement and relationships that build self-determination. We will build better communities because we’ve included the voices of those most affected. 

 

We can’t do this alone. We are champions of an idea, a powerful idea. With the collective impact of many community partners, however, this vision can become home.