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New housing grants access to independent living

UNDER CONSTRUCTION — A new house is under construction in Wintersville which will include up to four developmentally disabled adults and help them live more independently. Michael Zinno, superintendent of the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said the four-bedroom structure is fully accessible and should be completed this spring. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — New housing is under construction in Wintersville that will give more developmentally disabled adults access to independent living.

Michael Zinno, superintendent of the Jefferson County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said the four-bedroom home is being built at 131 Orchard St. and is fully accessible. The residence will house up to four people and should be completed this spring.

“We are building it to upgrade our house stock in Jefferson County,” Zinno said. “Our current stock is old, multi-level homes and there are not too many options for those in wheelchairs, so this opens up doors for them to have access to residential housing in the least restrictive environment rather than the most restrictive environment of Shaffer Plaza.”

The three tenants at Shaffer Plaza may relocate to the site, and, as a result, the number of occupants at the apartment complex could be reduced to 20 people, Zinno noted. At one time, the complex had 33 residents but many have moved into smaller, more independent living facilities throughout the county.

Zinno added that the building project is the first for JCBDD since the apartment complex was created in the 1980s. Newark-based architectural firm Wachtel and McAnally serves as project manager, and the house is owned by the Eastern Ohio Housing Corp.

Financing for the work comes from a mixture of JCBDD funds and part of a grant the board received last year from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. Officials received up to $598,000 from the Community Capital Assistance Program, which provides financing to county boards and nonprofit organizations for the purchase, construction and/or renovation of community housing for persons with special needs.

The DoDD’s Capital Housing Office is responsible for the program and three grants for up to $130,000 each, or a total of $390,000, were used to acquire homes with another $318,000 to help construct fully accessible lodging to better serve consumers. Three additional houses were purchased in Wintersville, Richmond and Mingo Junction with the grant, and all of the structures are owned by the Eastern Ohio Housing Corporation, a nonprofit agency.

Zinno said there are no plans at this time to construct another house, but he will seek more funding for projects in the future.

“The funding we received did not pay for 100 percent of the project. It’s a substantial amount of Capital Housing Corporation funds with a combined match of county Board of Developmental Disabilities funding,” he said.

“This will make our 10th home in Jefferson County owned by EOHC for individuals with developmental disabilities. I am thrilled that JCBDD could help to provide better housing options for the adults that we serve.”

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