Creative Living offers affordable housing for those with physical disabilities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 12% of Americans live with a disability that impacts their mobility. Many do not have access to necessary living accommodations due to financial limitations and other challenges.
Creative Living, a Columbus nonprofit organization, offers a way around these obstacles.
For the 34 residents of its communities at 1531 Perry St. and 150 W. 10th Ave., the group provides affordable independent-living opportunities in wheelchair-friendly apartments with a 24/7 resident assistance (RA) program.
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Conveniently located near The Ohio State University campus, both communities also are close to public transportation, grocery stores and pharmacies, restaurants, coffee shops and more.
“A lot of our residents are students of OSU. This enables them to pursue their educational goals and their work goals. Sometimes, we’ll have folks who live here for years,” said Mike Lightbody, executive director of Creative Living.
“A lot of our RAs are also OSU students, so that’s wonderful.”
Founded in 1974, Creative Living is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations and service organizations, as well as fundraisers such as a golf classic set for Sept. 9 at New Albany Country Club.
Besides a housing resource, Creative Living is a bridge to helping residents identify the next chapters of their lives, Lightbody said.
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"We want to be a part of the solution in helping people with disabilities transition into community settings. When you remove a lot of barriers, that enables people to explore things they wouldn't have time for.
"If they're trying to find jobs, find apartments, a lot of attention is taken away from where they want to go with their lives, whether that’s buying a house, starting a family or otherwise,” he said.
For more information about Creative Living, visit creative-living.org.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Creative Living offers affordable housing for people with disabilities
