Valley Community Services is looking forward to expanding its accessible housing options which will create more living opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Accessible housing describes the process of tailoring group homes to have the ability to accommodate any persons with disabilities. Key features of an accessible home can include anything from an open floor plan to lowered countertops. These alterations design a living space where all persons can move freely throughout the home while being able to use any element of the house.
Executive Director, GN Janes, assures that Valley Community Services is gradually transitioning into an agency completely comprised of accessible homes. Janes says moving forward, VCS will no longer be purchasing homes, but rather purchasing land. VCS is also partnered with a contracting company that will be constructing accessible homes with all the necessary accommodations.
VCS is already “breaking ground” on six accessible houses located in Butler, Bedford, and Westmoreland counties. Janes says he is hoping to add four more homes throughout the upcoming fiscal year, as well as adding four homes every year following.
Not only are accessible homes more practical for their residents, but it’s been observed that families and Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) prefer these types of homes as well.
Janes says, “we want everybody to have the opportunity to live in a Community Living Arrangement (CLA). If someone is in need of residential support, we don’t want to have to turn them away.”
“We’ve taken input from DSPs, managers, administrators, and everyone has given us great ideas of what constitutes a nice home. It’s a team effort, and our entire team is excited for this project.”
GN Janes, Executive Director