Wish Fulfilling Justice: Creating Individualized Residential Supports with HomeBuilders, shares inspiring stories of people with disabilities living independently through AHRC New York City’s HomeBuilders program. It highlights the transformative power of person-centered planning, individualized supports, and community relationships. The program focuses on breaking cycles of poverty, disability, and exclusion by designing housing solutions tailored to each individual’s needs, fostering independence while strengthening connections to family, friends, and community.
Through real-life examples, like Janice Bartley’s journey to finding an accessible apartment and becoming a self-advocacy leader, the document illustrates how thoughtful residential design can empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives. It explores key principles such as justice-driven design, the importance of relationships, and leveraging natural resources like family homes and community networks. The HomeBuilders initiative also emphasizes quick responses to crises, ensuring people avoid institutionalization or homelessness.
The document introduces innovative concepts like “life sharing” and inclusive neighborhood development, where people with and without disabilities live and work together in vibrant communities. It also discusses the importance of reflective practices, self-advocacy, and organizational change to create sustainable, person-centered systems.
Packed with practical insights, this publication is a call to action for agencies, families, and communities to rethink traditional service models and embrace individualized supports that honor the dignity, potential, and dreams of people with disabilities. Whether you’re a parent, advocate, or service provider, this document offers a hopeful vision for building inclusive, justice-driven communities.