“As some of our individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have gotten older, their physical accessibility needs have increased and become more evident,” McHugh said. “People are used to living in the community in our group homes. However, without accessible housing, we saw some people needing to move to other levels of care, like, nursing homes.”
He added that the new group home is the first step in making all of the organization’s residential settings accessible for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Envision has nearly 50 homes in Chicago, as well as in the north and south suburbs. A home of this kind hasn’t been constructed in the Chicago area, McHugh said.
“Much of the Chicago housing stock has stairs, where you have to climb to get into the house, and regular-sized doorways and bathrooms that aren’t large enough for wheelchairs and walkers. This certainly is an issue throughout the city and beyond,” McHugh said referring to lack of homes that are ADA accessible.
Envision Unlimited is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 1948 and serves people of all ages and backgrounds with disabilities. The organization provides day programs, community living services, a foster care program, employment programming and mental health services.
More than 72% of Envision’s clients are Black, and nearly nine percent are Latinx. Just over 90% of its members have incomes below or at the poverty line.
About four years ago, an Envision staff member was driving in the neighborhood and saw a for-sale sign on the lot. The staff member approached Envision’s leadership about purchasing it. Leaders at Envision connected with Mueller’s real estate agent to see if he’d be interested in donating the land to a nonprofit organization and he agreed.