Gresham, Oregon: Resident-Directed Supportive Services and Accessible Housing for the Severely Disabled and Seniors at Station 162 Apartments

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Gresham, Oregon: Resident-Directed Supportive Services and Accessible Housing for the Severely Disabled and Seniors at Station 162 Apartments

After being injured in a diving accident resulting in quadriplegia in 1975, appliance repairman Bud Myers discovered a serious lack of supportive services and affordable housing options in the Portland, Oregon area. Myers responded by founding Quadriplegics United Against Dependency (QUAD), a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals with severe disabilities to live self-sufficiently in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Since opening its first project in 1980, QUAD has become a leader in advancing the rights of individuals with disabilities by providing accessible and affordable housing combined with optional round-the-clock supportive services. QUAD’s fifth and largest project, Station 162 Apartments, offers 44 affordable units just outside of Portland for low-income individuals with disabilities and seniors. Station 162 encourages self-reliance by providing residents with a barrier-free environment that exceeds design standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Station 162 received the 2018 American Institute of Architects/HUD Secretary’s Award for Housing Accessibility in recognition of its design.

Design for Independent Living

Opened in 2017 in the city of Gresham near its border with Portland, Station 162 is a 4-story, L-shaped building containing 41 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom units. Twenty-five units are accessible and designed to maximize independence for residents in wheelchairs; the remaining 19 units are adaptable and intended for seniors wishing to age in place. Residents must be able to live independently except for physical assistance and use good judgment in directing their care. Residents must earn no more than 60 percent of the area median income, and 17 of the accessible units are subsidized with project-based vouchers. Residents with disabilities such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy occupy the accessible units. Seniors without a disability occupy the adaptable units, which will be renovated to accommodate any conditions that might develop after they move into the unit.

Station 162’s accessible units include counters and sinks with ample clearance for wheelchairs. Pocket doors and oversized roll-in showers allow for easy wheelchair entry and maneuverability. Other common apartment details, such as light switches and controls for air conditioning, heating, and ceiling fans, are located at wheelchair-accessible heights. In addition, appliances such as ovens and dishwashers are designed to be operated by persons in wheelchairs. Adaptable units are designed to meet the changing needs of residents as they age. Cabinets and showers, along with other unit features, can be modified for wheelchair accessibility. By allowing residents to stay longer in a place they call home, this adaptability helps alleviate a potential source of depression and anxiety found among nursing home residents, says Reid Jackson, director of operations at QUAD.

Accessible amenities in the Station 162 building include two large elevators, handrails in the hallways, and accessible mailboxes. The building also features an exercise room, onsite laundry, and a community room for all residents with a built-in television and fireplace. Outside, residents can enjoy a large fenced courtyard with seating and raised planters. Easy access to public transportation is also available; a MAX Light Rail station is less than a block away.

Services for Independent Living

If requested by residents, Station 162 offers shared attendant care services that focus on individual needs. Twenty specially trained staff attendants provide services under contract with Oregon’s Department of Human Services. Staff help with a menu of daily activities that residents cannot perform on their own, including wake-up and bedtime routines, cooking, and medical assistance such as bladder and bowel care and administering medications. Residents direct attendants in only the services they need; in some cases, residents do not require any services. These services are provided at all QUAD facilities and further the nonprofit’s mission of independent living. As Jackson notes, QUAD’s facilities operate at about one-third the cost of most nursing homes because residents are determined to live self-sufficient lives and manage the provision of their supportive services.

In addition to staff attendants, a resident coordinator works with outside organizations to help residents live successful, independent lives. The resident coordinator brings in classes such as diabetes management, nutrition, and self-defense. The coordinator also helps residents with scheduling equipment repairs, medical assistance, and other appointments. In addition, on-demand transportation to activities outside of Station 162, such as community volunteering or attending school, is arranged by the coordinator. For senior residents, QUAD works closely with Providence Health & Services, a Portland nonprofit that provides medications, medical supplies, and transportation to medical appointments. Typically, Medicaid and Medicare pay for the services offered by QUAD and other organizations, although some residents pay privately.

Financing

Most of the approximately $11.4 million development cost for Station 162 was funded using $8.8 million in low-income housing tax credit equity provided by U.S. Bank (table 1). Other funding consisted of loans, donations, and a deferred developer fee. The remaining funding came from three public agency programs, a HOME Investment Partnerships Program grant through Gresham, and a state General Housing Account Program grant and Low-Income Weatherization grant.

A Continuing Need for Supportive Housing

In Portland, 57 percent of the estimated 3,800 residents experiencing homelessness are disabled. Because this population helps drive the demand for affordable housing and supportive services, QUAD continues to look for opportunities to expand, but as yet the organization has no concrete future plans, says Jackson. Station 162 has attracted many applications from the Portland metropolitan area’s homeless and senior populations, especially those with disabilities. Currently, approximately 200 people are on Station 162’s waiting list, and QUAD’s other projects have waiting lists of approximately 100 people. QUAD has also gained the attention of several developers from the United States and abroad. Jackson notes that these developers hope to learn from QUAD’s model and incorporate independent living practices combined with supportive services in their own projects.