We at The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, are committed to providing people with intellectual and development disabilities (I/DD) the opportunity to gain independence. We are pleased to share that we opened the doors to our first completed affordable and accessible home in Millersville.
Located at 8319 N. Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD, The Arc’s Millersville home features 5 bedrooms—4 bedrooms on the main level with 2 ADA bathrooms and a fully accessible kitchen with an ADA ramp off the back of the home. Additionally, the home includes an in-law suite in the basement, which has 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, a kitchen and living room. Construction began mid-June 2017 and the home was completed in March 2018. The completion of The Arc’s Millersville home marks a milestone in the organization’s goal of developing statewide opportunities for independent housing for people with I/DD.
“We hope the Millersville home will help the community see the value and need for us to create many more ADA accessible and affordable homes that allow people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community the opportunity to own or live independently, in a home that suits their needs,” said CEO of The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, Jonathon Rondeau.
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region and its Chesapeake Neighbors subsidiary work with housing specialists throughout Maryland to find homes, assist in securing funding and provide home-ownership training. With the help of Arundel Community Development Services, Inc. (ACDS), a nonprofit organization committed to creating affordable housing opportunities and improving the lives of low-income individuals through community development, the Millersville home was designed to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines for accessibility.
“The Arc, along with the support of ACDS, are in a position to replicate the achievements of the Millersville home across the Anne Arundel County and Eastern Shore,” said Rondeau. “However, similar to first-time home buyers, we too are being faced with the challenges of ‘the seller’s market’ of skyrocketing pricing and competitive purchase bids. We would like to rally the business community, especially those in real estate, to help us navigate a solution that would benefit both the seller and our goal of creating more affordable and accessible living opportunities for people with intellectual and development disabilities who want to live independently.”
