FAQ

There are three components to BLT’s work: providing housing information to people with IDD and their supporters, engaging in advocacy to change the regulatory and financing environment, and educating developers.

With financial support from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, BLT is creating a Virtual Housing Resource Hub that will allow people to easily search for existing housing options in Georgia and provide resources to create additional solutions in their communities.  The Hub will launch by August 2026.

BLT has been working with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to change the scoring system that allocates funding to developers for the creation of affordable housing.  We have successfully advocated for two important changes.  First, language was added to make it clear that developers can receive points for proposing supportive housing that serves people with disabilities and not just for housing that serves people experiencing homelessness.  Second, developers proposing supportive housing will now be required to have a letter of support from a referring entity at the time of application.  This new requirement should increase the incentive for developers to build relationships with organizations supporting vulnerable populations up front, potentially increasing the voices of people with disabilities in the development process.  It could also create an opportunity for organizations that support individuals with disabilities to partner with developers early in the development process.

BLT is not a developer, though we will be working with developers to promote the construction of housing that is inclusive, accessible, and facilitates interaction among its residents. In April 2024, BLT began a year-long technical assistance project with The Kelsey, a nationally-recognized leader in disability-inclusive housing and co-developer of two communities in California.  The process, known as “Together We Can Do More,” laid the foundation for creating disability-inclusive housing in Georgia.  During this same period, BLT was part of a team led by The Paces Foundation, a Georgia-based affordable housing developer, that participated in the inaugural Georgia Supportive Housing Institute (GSHI).  The five-month training program resulted in a project-specific “pitch” that could form the basis for a future development proposal.

We are currently exploring opportunities throughout the Atlanta metro area.  Given the feedback from those with lived experience we gathered during the More Together process, we are focusing on properties that are in walkable areas and close to amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, other retailers, employment opportunities, and transportation. If you know of properties that fit that description and might be obtainable at a reasonable price, we would love to hear from you. The Kelsey remains interested in creating a disability-inclusive in Georgia, though the key hurdle will be finding land in a suitable location at a reasonable price.

We also recognize there is an acute need throughout Georgia for inclusive and accessible housing that intentionally includes people experiencing disability. BLT will consult with groups that seek to build inclusive housing in their communities. We want to act as a catalyst to jump-start local community efforts throughout Georgia.

The general layout could take many forms, depending on the property and location. It could be cottage-style homes in a “pocket neighborhood,” including single-family units, duplexes, and triplexes. In a more urban setting, like a downtown location, we envision a single multi-story structure that could include anywhere from 40 to 100 units. The housing could be new construction or an adaptive reuse of an existing structure.

Whatever the general layout, the design will intentionally help support a sense of community by having both gathering spaces as well as areas for more informal interactions among residents, like open seating areas and porches or benches outside. The physical layout will also be designed to promote organic interactions where residents pass by one another in their daily activities.

Housing would adhere to universal design standards that ensure accessibility for people of all abilities.  This includes individual units that are physically accessible to all or that can be easily modified to accommodate the needs of people with varying abilities.

Affordability is typically defined relative to “area median income” (AMI), which is simply the income level where half of households have incomes below that level and half have incomes above that level. In 2025, the AMI for a family of four in the Atlanta Metro area was $114,188. We plan to work with developers who serve households with a range of incomes, including moderate-income households earning 80-120% of the AMI and low-income households earning less than 80% of the AMI. The extent to which we can serve individuals below this 80% AMI threshold, including those in the very-low-income range (50% AMI and below), will depend on the extent of public and private subsidies for construction and/or availability of rent subsidies to tenants, such as project-based rental assistance or housing choice vouchers.

We aim to facilitate the creation of communities that are intentionally inclusive. Not only will they serve people with a range of incomes, but they will also be multi-generational and include people with and without disabilities. We hope to work with developers to set aside about one-quarter of the units in a development for people with disabilities and roughly another quarter for seniors. Within the limits of fair housing laws, we will also encourage applications from people who have a strong desire to be connected to their community and want more than just a roof over their heads. Another important characteristic that distinguishes the developments we will facilitate is conscious efforts to promote connections with neighbors. Whenever possible, we plan to staff developments with one or more community facilitators. The facilitators organize programming for residents, support the community within the development, and build bridges to people and organizations in the surrounding area. They also help connect residents with disabilities to essential services and other needs in the broader neighborhood.

While community facilitators will be available to help residents connect and navigate the broader community, each resident is responsible for their personal needs. This includes transportation to work and doctor’s appointments, shopping, cooking, and personal care. Individuals with disabilities who need assistance will bring their own supports. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who have a Medicaid waiver, the waiver provides funding for needed individual support services.

We are aware of only two intentionally inclusive communities in Georgia, Soaring Heights, which recently opened in Conyers, and Best Buddies Living, in Midtown Atlanta.  Although there are only two inclusive communities in Georgia, similar projects that include elements of our approach are planned or have been built throughout the country.

Main Street is an inclusive community in Rockville MD that opened its doors in July 2020. It consists of 70 apartment rental units with 25 percent of the units designed and designated for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The first floor of the multi-story structure houses a 10,000 sq. ft. community center. “The Development of Main Street: Ideas for Those Who Want to Start an Inclusive Housing Community” is an excellent hour-long webinar that takes the viewer from the initial step of refining the concept of Main Street in Maryland to realizing the vision.

The North Street Neighborhood in Durham NC consists of 16 quadraplexes that were renovated and re-configured in a variety of ways, including duplexes, single-family homes, and apartments, resulting in a mix of owner-occupied and rental units. While many of the buildings are occupied by people with disabilities and their families, people without disabilities live there as well. Until recently, there was no formal community association, though many residents were affiliated with a faith-based organization called Reality Ministries. In 2024, HOPE NC began piloting a new Community Facilitator service. The on-site Community Facilitator works with all North Street residents to formalize some of their activities and programs while also connecting community members with disabilities to the resources and supports that enable them to live fully-included lives in the community.

The Kelsey Ayer Station is a mixed-income housing development located near downtown San Jose, CA, that serves individuals with and without disabilities. It consists of 115 rental units, including 2-bedroom and studio apartments. There is also roughly 8,000 square feet of community spaces and lounges on each floor. It opened late spring of 2024 and includes two Inclusion Concierges, which are equivalent to the “Community Facilitator,” one of which lives on site. A similar project, The Kelsey Civic Center, was recently completed in San Francisco, and residents began moving in July 2025.

Another project, one that is ownership-based, is Cathedral Park Cohousing in Portland, OR. The development will be a multi-story complex containing 23 owner-occupied housing units, with half set aside as affordable/ subsidized housing. The development will operate as a self-governing co-housing community. Residents will span a wide range of ages and include people with and without disabilities. While land for the development in the Cathedral Park neighborhood has been purchased, construction will not begin until they have secured more commitments from future residents.

Patuxent Commons is a 76-unit complex that recently opened in Columbia, MD. The development includes 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. One-quarter of the units are set aside for people with disabilities earning less than 30% of the area median income (AMI). Another 40% have a senior preference.  While most units are restricted to households with incomes below 60% of AMI, 10% of units are leased at market-rate rents. The development is located close to transit, shopping, recreation, and job opportunities.

Trailhead Community is an 81-unit condominium development, located in Littleton, Colorado, that opened in 2025. Half of the units are allocated for adults with developmental disabilities, and the other 50% for neurotypical residents, including seniors and professionals. The building includes universal design features to promote accessibility. A cooperative management model will be employed to allow all residents to participate in community operating decisions.  Like most other intentionally inclusive developments, an on-site concierge staff will provide oversight for the building, facilitate social events, and encourage mutual exchange and support between tenants. The building has many amenities to promote community, including a sports court and fitness room, a multimedia room for music and large screen viewing, and a community kitchen and common dining room. The units are predominantly rentals, but some are available for purchase as well.