Creative Living offers affordable housing for those with physical disabilities

Belinda M. Paschal, Columbus Dispatch
Residents socialize in a communal room at one of two Creative Living apartment communities that provide affordable, wheelchair-accessible housing specifically for people with physical disabilities.
Residents socialize in a communal room at one of two Creative Living apartment communities that provide affordable, wheelchair-accessible housing specifically for people 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.

ā€œA lot of our residents are students of OSU. This enables them to pursue their educational goals and their work goals. Sometimes, weā€™ll have folks who live here for years,ā€ said Mike Lightbody, executive director of Creative Living.

ā€œA lot of our RAs are also OSU students, so thatā€™s wonderful.ā€

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 thatā€™s buying a house, starting a family or otherwise,ā€ he said.

For more information about Creative Living, visit creative-living.org.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Creative Living offers affordable housing for people with disabilities

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