Using a large earth moving machine to literally break ground, work began Thursday on a project in Oakland County to address a critical housing need for one of Michigan’s most underserved populations.
Officials estimate there are roughly 49,000 Michiganders with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
They have very few housing options. However, that is slowly changing.
“Now it’s starting to come to everyone’s attention that we need to find creative ways to finance the development of IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) housing,” said Bill Godfrey, co-founder of Three Oaks Communities.
Godfrey’s company is behind the new $35 million Auburn Oaks development in Rochester Hills. It will be made up of 55 homes, including a mix of condominiums, single-family and town homes.17 condominiums and two single-family homes will be reserved for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The housing being developed includes amenities to meet their health needs and allow them to live more independently.
It’s the third such development in Michigan, and the second in Oakland County.
David Mingle is the executive director of Rochester Housing Solutions. He’s been working on projects to provide what he describes as neuro inclusive housing.
“We’re applying all those best practices to make sure when the kids move in here that the services are set up and the community is ready to flourish,” said Mingle.
Several speakers at Thursday’s groundbreaking spoke of this as a housing crisis, driven in part by aging baby boomer parents needing to ensure their children will have a place to live.
There are two more similar housing developments moving forward in west Michigan.
Godfrey said his company is in the early planning stages for another housing development in New Jersey.
