Empowering Disability Housing: Insights from Emily Kendall and Empower Me Living

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And I was joking that I have changed Luke's
ostomy appliance in a Buc ee's bathroom.
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So shout out to Buc ee's for having
immaculately clean spacious bathrooms with all
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the space to be able to change an ostomy bag.
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So I know ostomates, if you're traveling on the
road, not only is Buc ee's worth the stop, but
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it is a great place if you need to change your
appliance.
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So that is my plug.
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We'll say, Hey, Buc ee's and Nick's speak
Nick's needs a sponsor.
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By the way, they're coming to Ohio in April.
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So you better best believe I told my staff, put
that date on the calendar because we're going.
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We're going to Buc ee's.
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I love it.
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Welcome to the Nick Speaks podcast, where we
speak up, speak out, and speak loud for the
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disabled community.
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Tune in every Tuesday, and don't forget to
subscribe.
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And now your host, Nicholas Comstock.
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Hi, everybody.
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Welcome to a brand new episode of the Nick
Speaks podcast, the podcast dedicated to the
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disabled community where we speak up, speak out
and speak aloud about the issues that matter to
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the disabled the most.
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I'm your host, Nick Comstock.
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You guys, thank you for joining me for another
incredible episode.
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Another incredible Tuesday.
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Things are starting to warm up out there.
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So spring I hope spring's eternal as they say.
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I hope you guys are enjoying the weather a
little bit.
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You guys, I am so excited because I have a
return guest with me today.
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Emily Kendall is here.
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And when she was here, at the very beginning of
the year, her episode has been the highest
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rated episode so far for 2026.
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This time around, we're going to talk about her
and her husband's, I guess you could say real
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estate initiative apartment initiative for
people with disabilities called empower me
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living.
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She is giving people hope.
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They are giving people hope her and her husband
Mark, to find accessible, affordable housing.
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So we're going to talk about that and so much
more.
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Help me welcome back Emily Kendall to the
program.
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Emily, how are you doing?
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Hi, Nick.
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I'm so great.
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I'm so glad to be back.
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I agree.
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It feels great outside.
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It's warming up.
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Nice to see that sunshine and of course to see
your smiling face, and I'm just thrilled to be
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here today.
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Awesome.
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Awesome.
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So, Emily, the last time you were here was the
first episode for 2026.
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And a lot of people reached out to me and said,
wow, this episode was really informative.
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They they didn't know about your son Luke's
condition.
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A lot of them hadn't heard of that particular
thing.
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So your episode, struck up a little bit of a
conversation as far as that goes and different
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things.
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And then, we mentioned in the last episode that
you were gonna come back on.
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And here we are less than a month later, you're
back online.
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And we're going to talk about disability and
housing, which you and I are on a housing group
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together.
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Yeah, through the state of Ohio right now
trying to improve housing for people with IDD
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and developmental disabilities.
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So why don't you talk to us about Empower Me
Living and how that all got started.
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And for those of you who are listening, you're
gonna wanna watch this because we have a
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PowerPoint coming.
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So if you're listening right now, make sure to
go to the YouTube channel and watch it later
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because you're gonna want to see the
PowerPoint.
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Great.
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Thanks, Nick.
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Well, I was honored to be on last time and talk
about our journey with our son Luke, who does
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have that condition called Hirschsprung's
disease, which required some surgery when he
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was born and ultimately ended up in creating an
ileostomy for him where his small intestine is
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routed to his stomach.
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There are over a million ostomates in The
United States.
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And it's a pretty incredible group of people.
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And this can be a life saving surgery for so
many.
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So always happy to answer questions about that.
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And, you know, I've I was talking to someone
earlier today out at lunch and whose son also
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has Hirschsprung's disease.
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Believe it or not, that's Luke's specific
condition that led to all this.
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And I was joking that I have changed Luke's
ostomy appliance in a Buc ee's bathroom.
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So shout out to Buc ee's for having
immaculately clean spacious bathrooms with all
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the space to be able to change an ostomy bag.
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So I know ostomates, if you're traveling on the
road, not only is Buc ee's worth the stop, but
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it is a great place if you need to change your
appliance.
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So that is my plug.
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I will say hey, Buc ee's and Nick's been Nick's
Speaks needs a sponsor.
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And by the way, they're coming to Ohio in
April.
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So you better best believe I told my staff put
that date on the calendar, because we're going.
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We're going to Buc ee's.
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I love it.
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So for your listeners, Nick, they got to hear
about our journey.
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I have a background in sales marketing, and I
spent the bulk of my career in commercial real
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estate.
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My husband Mark, who I talked about last time
is a commercial construction professional and
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has spent his entire career in commercial
construction.
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He's built over $375,000,000 worth of projects,
Everything from the NASCAR Hall of Fame, all
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the way to the Duke Law Library to historical
renovation to multifamily.
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He's built a wide variety of projects.
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So our professional lives have set us up to
really lean in to answering a question that we
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have and millions of other families like ours
have is where is Luke going to live when he
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grows up?
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He is going to outlive us.
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He is going to need some kind of support.
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And what does that look like?
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So Mark and I met at a company that built owned
and operated student housing apartment
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communities all over the country.
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That company was very high growth.
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We had an initial public offering on Wall
Street.
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And I ran leasing and marketing for that
company for about four and a half years.
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That's where I met Mark.
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Fast forward, oh, gosh, fifteen years now.
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When Luke was born about three years after he
was born, we had an opportunity to shift our
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focus in life.
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And we decided that we'd set out an answer this
question.
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Where is Luke going to live?
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And where are the millions of other people like
Luke going to live when they become adults?
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We've made
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And I applaud you for that.
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Well, you.
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I applaud you for that.
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And I had to stop you right there and say this
because a lot of parents, especially mine, a
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lot of parents with special needs kids just
automatically assume that there is no other
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alternative that will die with me or I will die
taking care of them.
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And that's just not feasible.
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No.
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No.
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And it just doesn't work.
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It's not sustainable.
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We've made so many advancements in health care
and early intervention and education.
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It's almost like as a society, we forgot that
that means people with developmental
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disabilities are going to live much longer,
higher quality lives.
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If Luke would have been born when the same I
was born in 1982.
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I will reveal.
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I was born 1982.
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Apparently, it was a very good year for Chateau
Lafitte in France, if you're into wine.
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Luke's life expectancy, if you would have been
born in 1982 would have been 30.
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He was born in 2019.
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His life expectancy is 60.
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Well, you can do the math and figure out how
old I am and and take a guess that
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statistically Luke is going to outlive me and
where is he going to live?
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So Mark and I just happen to have the
professional experience to try and dive in to
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help solve this issue.
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And I'm gonna share my screen so that your
viewers can see how we think about this and how
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we are setting this up.
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Nick, I'm so excited to talk about this and
give viewers and listeners a sense of how and
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why we structure things and think about things
and how we're trying to tackle this issue.
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So to paint a picture for listeners and
viewers, there are seventy seven thousand plus
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adults with developmental disabilities in the
state of Ohio that live with caregivers older
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than 60.
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The four counties surrounding Greater
Cincinnati, there are twelve thousand adults
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that live with caregivers over the age of 60.
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Wow.
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That's great.
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So
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it's a lot, it's a lot.
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And then when you look at the increase in
autism diagnoses that, that have been
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occurring.
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The CDC, I think that our latest was one in
thirty one are impacted with autism spectrum
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disorder.
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Twenty six percent, I will have to check the
stat on the profound autism alliances website.
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Twenty six percent of people with autism
spectrum disorder have profound autism.
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So that is a growing segment of the population.
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And in our own research, we found that thirty
seven percent of the seventy seven thousand to
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twelve thousand, and you can extrapolate those
numbers nationwide, about thirty seven percent
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reported having higher support needs, meaning
twenty fourseven, one on one, two on one care.
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And our system is just not set up for that.
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And I come from real estate, I talked a little
bit about my professional background, I come
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from real estate.
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And we look at this, we look at what we're
doing as a bridge, because right now,
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nonprofits and the government aren't solving it
at the scale that this needs to be solved.
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Then if you look, they're just not.
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And and that's the real that's reality.
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It's not a commentary.
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That's reality.
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On the other hand, Wall Street and capital
markets, they're not stepping in to solve it
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either, even though the demand is clearly there
because it's not it sits in the middle.
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So supportive housing sits in the middle.
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And we are trying to carve this middle lane to
say, hey, we can develop and operate a range of
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solutions that meets the needs of this diverse
population.
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And it doesn't have to rely on all government
funding or nonprofits and, and let's bring the
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private capital in the markets along to really,
really tackle this challenge and solve this
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problem.
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So we look at what our work is, is building a
bridge and forging this new way and making
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these connections to build longer term,
sustainable solutions to housing and support
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for people with developmental disabilities.
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So we have three organizations that work
together to accomplish this mission.
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The first is a recent initiative of ours called
the Empower Me Center for Housing Innovation.
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One of the things we realized, Nick, is that
first of all, there hasn't done there hasn't
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been a lot of research and data directly from
the source from people with developmental
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disabilities on what they want and need from
housing and support.
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We partnered with an organization called First
Place Global Leadership Institute out of
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Phoenix, Arizona.
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This is this organization, the people there are
absolutely the most phenomenal people.
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They're brilliant.
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They're light bearers.
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They're leaders.
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They are a think tank focused on issues facing
adults with developmental disabilities.
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Was founded by amazing woman named Denise
Resnick, who has a son with autism and also
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started her career and spent the majority of it
in commercial real estate.
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That's awesome.
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She is who I want to be when I grow up.
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So we realized that we would need to go out and
get data directly from the source and reference
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and make sure that people know what people
developmental disabilities want and need and
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how.
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So we did that and we published this report,
and I will send you the link to it so that you
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can link it in the show notes.
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Published this report.
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And then we looked around and we realized the
people making decisions about housing in our
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region, in our state, they don't know about
this population.
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They might know peripherally or tangentially,
but they don't know.
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And so the primary goal of our nonprofit right
now is to take this treasure trove of data that
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we have, and disseminate it to people that are
making key decisions that affect housing in our
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region and across our state that do not know or
consider people with developmental disabilities
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when they're looking at some of the challenges
facing our region.
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So that is a big priority for our nonprofit
right now.
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And we have several events, educational events.
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We have an educational webinar coming up next
week on the twenty fifth, where our teammates
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and we have an incredible team of people, two
fantastic women, Sam Cleaver and Reagan Sears
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that are indispensable to the efforts that Mark
and I are trying to lead.
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So we're hosting a pod not a podcast.
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Sorry.
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Well, I'm on a podcast right now.
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So it's it's getting late in the day listeners.
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Yeah.
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So we're hosting this webinar next week where
we will talk about some of the key findings
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from this research.
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So I will link to that event as well.
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But that organization right now is focused on
raising awareness outside the developmental
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disability community because, you know, Nick,
like, you and I know about the issues.
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Yeah.
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But does the mayor of Cincinnati really know?
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I don't know.
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Right.
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But he's gonna know now because I'm gonna tell
him.
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Well, the people the people in power, even in
Congress and in the highest office in the land,
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they really and I say this all the time.
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They really have no idea what goes on.
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And there's a bunch of people in power making
decisions, life altering decisions for people
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with disabilities.
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But they have no idea because they either don't
experience it, or they have a very vague idea
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of what it's like to be in our life.
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And I tell people all the time, they're like,
well, you know, the president doesn't care
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about us or whatever.
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And this is on whatever side of the aisle
you're on.
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The president doesn't care about either either
side of the aisle, they don't have the
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president especially does not have time to care
about care about us.
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We have to make our issues known because
they're dealing with so much other things,
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foreign policy, everything else.
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And so if we're not the loudest people in the
room, it's our own fault, in in my opinion, in
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many ways.
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00:17:18,509 --> 00:17:24,914
Well, Nick, it's a good thing that I am the
product of a mom who grew up with seven
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siblings and a dad who had three younger
brothers.
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So I am very loud.
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Yeah.
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I've grown in a family like that too, where you
had to be loud in order to get your point
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across.
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So yeah.
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Not afraid to be loud.
257
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Yeah, absolutely not.
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And I love that you say you're building a
bridge, because one of my parents favorite
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lines for me, and I think for a lot of special
needs parents, is we'll cross that bridge when
260
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we get to it.
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Well, this is why it's important to build a
bridge now, because we need to start making
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plans to cross it.
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Because I hear all the time you blank, and then
your kids are college age.
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I'm not a parent, but that's just what I've
heard all the time.
265
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And you're figuring out Oh, we're at that
bridge we've been talking about for so long.
266
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We gotta build it.
267
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And but we also know that that adults and
families faces clip effect when they age out of
268
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school.
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And there is there is you stare at the cliff
and there is no bridge.
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So we are building this bridge.
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And that's where the next layer comes in is
Empower Me Living.
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Empower Me Living is a real estate developer
and real estate services company.
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We focus on developing the asset, running the
property, so property management, and then we
274
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provide a layer of supportive services for not
billing Medicaid, Medicare, I don't that's,
275
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that's not in our purview.
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But we provide this what we call extra layer of
support, kind of like a glue that that holds
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everything together and helps adults and
families with this bridge, and continue to go
278
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beyond this bridge.
279
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And then we have a construction company that
will actually physically build our projects.
280
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So we this is an interdisciplinary approach.
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This is modeled from best practices at the real
estate companies that I've worked with, where
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everything is integrated and, and has an in
house view so that you are taking advantage of
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operating efficiencies and economies of scale
and being smart and sharing resources.
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So on the horizon for each one of these
entities, the empowerment center for housing
285
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innovation I talked about, we're very focused
right now on educate education outside the
286
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developmental disability community and and
mainly with other real estate developers,
287
00:20:04,269 --> 00:20:11,875
government leaders, people who are pulling the
levers in our communities, they need to know we
288
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have this data, they need to understand and
know about this data so that when we're talking
289
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about the Greater Cincinnati Regional Housing
Report, the next time that gets published by
290
00:20:23,650 --> 00:20:31,009
the chamber of commerce, I want to make sure
that there is discussion and talk and
291
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recommendations about people with developmental
disabilities and housing and support needs.
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00:20:35,890 --> 00:20:37,809
I have the data, I can give it to them.
293
00:20:38,134 --> 00:20:44,695
And we can have a conversation about how we
make sure that people like Luke are included in
294
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these conversations as we plan for the long
term flourishing of our region.
295
00:20:49,255 --> 00:20:57,630
And eventually, I want to be able to have some
investment fund where we can invest in all
296
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kinds of neuro inclusive housing projects
around the country.
297
00:21:02,029 --> 00:21:06,750
That's a whole other topic that we can unpack
for another day, but that would be an impact
298
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investment fund.
299
00:21:08,125 --> 00:21:10,845
That is my ultimate dream.
300
00:21:11,884 --> 00:21:15,964
And Farming Living is working on a really cool
project right now.
301
00:21:16,044 --> 00:21:19,004
We're finishing one up and we have a ribbon
cutting next week.
302
00:21:19,244 --> 00:21:21,164
This is a really cool project.
303
00:21:21,164 --> 00:21:26,769
We've got, I'll talk about the two that are
that are we've just achieved some big
304
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milestones on recently.
305
00:21:28,130 --> 00:21:35,410
So a few years ago, a congregation on the West
Side Of Cincinnati approached us and said, we
306
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have a person on our property that we would
like to ensure becomes housing for people with
307
00:21:41,734 --> 00:21:43,014
developmental disabilities.
308
00:21:43,174 --> 00:21:48,694
This is a beautiful, spacious single story
ranch house.
309
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It's not totally accessible.
310
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But it it makes for a great.
311
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It makes for a great home for somebody that
doesn't need.
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00:21:59,390 --> 00:22:04,285
Mobility accommodations and it's on the
property of this church and there's a
313
00:22:04,285 --> 00:22:09,484
congregation ready and with open arms to
welcome new neighbors with developmental
314
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disabilities.
315
00:22:10,924 --> 00:22:17,805
So we partnered with the church and we found a
gold standard service provider that's been
316
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around for over fifty years here in Greater
Cincinnati called Ohio Valley Residential
317
00:22:22,210 --> 00:22:23,089
Services.
318
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This is a four bedroom, two bathroom, single
story ranch, right on the property of St.
319
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John's Union Westminster Church.
320
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And we are excited to do a ribbon cutting for
that.
321
00:22:38,625 --> 00:22:41,345
We got Cincinnati Development Fund involved.
322
00:22:41,424 --> 00:22:44,785
Kendall Building Group did the renovation and
Power Me Living did the funding the
323
00:22:44,785 --> 00:22:45,184
development.
324
00:22:45,450 --> 00:22:50,970
Of Ohio Valley Residential Services will
provide the services that will be a licensed
325
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group home.
326
00:22:52,329 --> 00:22:57,929
And they they really it's an elegant solution
because the church needed somebody to be able
327
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to manage and run the property and provide
services.
328
00:23:01,125 --> 00:23:07,765
Ohio Valley Residential Services has other
properties like within a mile or two of this
329
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particular location.
330
00:23:09,765 --> 00:23:19,559
And we opened up a new source of funding using
American Relief Act money ARPA that came out of
331
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COVID to be able to get their renovations done.
332
00:23:22,279 --> 00:23:27,480
One of the other things that I love about this
particular property, not only is location and
333
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the amazing neighbors, but it has an office.
334
00:23:31,075 --> 00:23:37,394
So it's four bedrooms plus an office, which I
think is a great kind of staff backstage area.
335
00:23:37,714 --> 00:23:38,115
Right?
336
00:23:38,115 --> 00:23:44,240
So if somebody doesn't need their staff all the
time, there's there's like an offstage area
337
00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:51,119
that staff can go do paperwork, get caught up,
and everybody kind of has a little bit more
338
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space and privacy, which I really love about
the way that this house is set up.
339
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So that's opening next week.
340
00:23:58,045 --> 00:24:05,724
And then I'm very excited to announce that
Ohio's first micro home community just made it
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00:24:05,724 --> 00:24:10,365
through zoning approval in the city of Oxford,
Ohio, home of Miami University.
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00:24:11,460 --> 00:24:18,019
New Roots Oxford is a partnership between
Empower Me Living, Kendall Building Group, and
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Inclusive Housing Resources, which is an
incredible organization that provides housing
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here in Greater Cincinnati and city of Oxford.
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And the city of Oxford had two acres that they
wanted to develop into affordable housing.
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And we came to them with this proposal for a
neuro inclusive community that's home
347
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ownership.
348
00:24:40,549 --> 00:24:42,629
So the houses will be for sale.
349
00:24:42,869 --> 00:24:46,549
They are 600 to 900 square foot single family
homes.
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00:24:47,509 --> 00:24:49,909
So some, and they are universally designed.
351
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So zero grade entry, they have accessibility
features, things like wider doorways.
352
00:24:56,535 --> 00:25:04,215
Will be very intentional about, you know, the
type of door handles and light switches that
353
00:25:04,215 --> 00:25:08,455
get get put in these homes so that they're
great for aging in place.
354
00:25:08,455 --> 00:25:12,519
And they're, they they pull in some great
features of universal design.
355
00:25:12,519 --> 00:25:17,240
So I'm excited to announce that that made it
through zoning and we'll be submitting for
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permit and breaking ground.
357
00:25:18,599 --> 00:25:21,799
And then we're Yes.
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00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:27,785
And we're working on other projects And, you
know, like see looking for seed capital and
359
00:25:27,785 --> 00:25:28,984
project capital.
360
00:25:29,144 --> 00:25:35,704
Because again, we believe that we need to build
this bridge between the pure, the pure market,
361
00:25:36,105 --> 00:25:41,250
which in many ways is more efficient at solving
problems than the government.
362
00:25:41,809 --> 00:25:48,210
And nonprofits like there's this bridge that we
need to build so that we can get more capital
363
00:25:48,690 --> 00:25:51,890
to do more of these to do more.
364
00:25:51,890 --> 00:25:57,125
And this has a ripple effect for other groups
that need supportive housing.
365
00:25:57,125 --> 00:26:01,684
So there's so many this we think this will
start to create a flywheel.
366
00:26:01,684 --> 00:26:05,765
And then Kendall Building Group is doing the
construction for New Roots Oxford.
367
00:26:05,765 --> 00:26:11,549
And then we are actively seeking expansion to
build more neuro inclusive projects.
368
00:26:11,549 --> 00:26:17,789
We changed the focus of our construction
company to focus specifically on projects that
369
00:26:17,789 --> 00:26:24,674
enhance neuro inclusive community building or
primarily through housing.
370
00:26:24,755 --> 00:26:27,714
So that's background about our companies.
371
00:26:27,714 --> 00:26:28,674
Yeah.
372
00:26:28,914 --> 00:26:31,954
So I have a couple I have a couple questions
for you.
373
00:26:31,954 --> 00:26:38,869
So you say you want to go outside the
developmental disability or to get people to
374
00:26:38,869 --> 00:26:39,990
understand it.
375
00:26:40,549 --> 00:26:49,589
It's empower me living working towards possibly
because one of the one of the segments in our
376
00:26:49,589 --> 00:26:53,394
community that also struggles with housing are
veterans.
377
00:26:53,634 --> 00:27:00,275
So are you guys working to eventually to expand
to veterans as well?
378
00:27:00,275 --> 00:27:07,690
This is right now, our focus is neuro inclusive
housing developmental disabilities, right?
379
00:27:07,690 --> 00:27:11,849
We think that that is a group that has been so
underserved.
380
00:27:11,849 --> 00:27:17,450
Now, what I will say is that through the
Empower Me Center for Housing Innovation, a lot
381
00:27:17,450 --> 00:27:24,005
of what we're going to learn and iterate,
incubate and research will absolutely have
382
00:27:24,005 --> 00:27:27,444
positive implications for groups like veterans.
383
00:27:27,444 --> 00:27:34,759
And we welcome the opportunity to collab with
groups that are supporting veterans, because we
384
00:27:34,759 --> 00:27:42,119
think there's some natural overlap, and natural
synergies that we can learn and share with each
385
00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:42,599
other.
386
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:49,105
Because at the end of the day, my colleague Sam
says it so beautifully, at some point in time,
387
00:27:49,105 --> 00:27:51,984
every single one of us is going to need some
kind of support.
388
00:27:52,865 --> 00:27:55,025
And I watched this with my own mom.
389
00:27:55,184 --> 00:27:57,664
My mom was a physical therapist assistant.
390
00:27:57,664 --> 00:28:01,039
She worked in hospitals and nursing homes.
391
00:28:01,039 --> 00:28:07,359
This was a one hundred and ten pound woman that
could lift a human being two times her size.
392
00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:16,285
And she got Parkinson's and she was suddenly
the one that needed the support and help.
393
00:28:16,285 --> 00:28:19,404
And I didn't I thought my mom was invincible.
394
00:28:20,285 --> 00:28:26,684
And, you know, we learned as a family that that
landscape can change and you're gonna need
395
00:28:26,684 --> 00:28:27,085
support.
396
00:28:27,559 --> 00:28:33,240
And one of the first things that my dad did
when she got her diagnosis was they sold their
397
00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:38,279
house, and they moved into a single story ranch
up the street.
398
00:28:39,079 --> 00:28:44,865
So this so we're all going to need support at
some point in our way.
399
00:28:44,865 --> 00:28:50,384
So there are implications beyond people with
developmental disabilities.
400
00:28:50,384 --> 00:28:53,184
And that is what I think is really cool about
what we're doing.
401
00:28:53,184 --> 00:28:58,950
So think about empower me center is really kind
of like an open source collaboration lab.
402
00:28:58,950 --> 00:29:06,230
And then I like to say, empower me center is
the dream it empower me living is the do it and
403
00:29:06,230 --> 00:29:08,150
Kendall building group is going to build it.
404
00:29:09,029 --> 00:29:12,070
That that's an amazing mantra right there.
405
00:29:12,070 --> 00:29:14,284
And it fits so well.
406
00:29:14,365 --> 00:29:18,684
So I'm a little I'm a little, just a little bit
confused.
407
00:29:18,684 --> 00:29:22,365
And maybe it's because we're at the end of the
day taping this.
408
00:29:22,684 --> 00:29:27,259
So does empower me living?
409
00:29:27,420 --> 00:29:35,500
Are you guys are you guys working to be
landlords for people with disabilities?
410
00:29:35,660 --> 00:29:36,140
Am I?
411
00:29:36,140 --> 00:29:37,099
Yeah, no,
412
00:29:37,259 --> 00:29:38,220
that's exactly right.
413
00:29:38,220 --> 00:29:39,339
Nope, you're exactly right.
414
00:29:39,644 --> 00:29:43,565
We're going to be landlords for people with
developmental disabilities.
415
00:29:44,605 --> 00:29:50,445
And our thesis, Nick, an important piece to
mention in all this and our data from our
416
00:29:50,445 --> 00:29:54,285
housing market analysis shows this people want
to have choices.
417
00:29:55,159 --> 00:30:00,919
You know, I don't know where Luke is gonna want
to live when he grows up, but I want him to be
418
00:30:00,919 --> 00:30:02,119
able to have a choice.
419
00:30:02,119 --> 00:30:08,934
He could choose to live in an accessory
dwelling unit on a property and Emma, his big
420
00:30:08,934 --> 00:30:14,054
sister lives in the main house and they have a
great little life.
421
00:30:14,054 --> 00:30:20,539
He could want to live in an apartment community
with peers that also have disabilities.
422
00:30:20,539 --> 00:30:25,740
He could want to live in a neuro, you know, or
a mix of people with and without disabilities.
423
00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:32,299
He could decide that no, like, he wants to be
in a community, but he prefers to have not be
424
00:30:32,299 --> 00:30:33,944
in a stacked apartment complex.
425
00:30:33,944 --> 00:30:36,345
He wants his own individual home.
426
00:30:36,904 --> 00:30:46,265
I'm gonna let Luke I'm gonna let Luke decide
but my I look at my role is to make sure but
427
00:30:46,265 --> 00:30:51,359
that by the time Luke gets to make that
decision, there are a plethora of options for
428
00:30:51,359 --> 00:30:53,200
him to be able to choose from.
429
00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:53,759
Right.
430
00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:55,359
Right.
431
00:30:55,359 --> 00:31:01,440
Because right now, people in our community, I
don't know if you want to go to the next slide
432
00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:02,399
or if this is it.
433
00:31:02,399 --> 00:31:02,640
Yeah.
434
00:31:03,065 --> 00:31:06,024
If you can, if you want to go to the next
slide, you can.
435
00:31:07,144 --> 00:31:11,704
People in our community are we're kind of Oh, I
like that.
436
00:31:11,704 --> 00:31:12,505
Oh, tree.
437
00:31:12,505 --> 00:31:13,464
I know it's printing.
438
00:31:16,089 --> 00:31:22,569
You go in our community, we're kind of stuck
with the one choice unless we really fight,
439
00:31:22,809 --> 00:31:28,649
which is go in to a home with a roommate.
440
00:31:29,210 --> 00:31:35,535
And then if we know that the roommate situation
doesn't work out, we'll get to your own
441
00:31:35,535 --> 00:31:36,255
apartment.
442
00:31:36,255 --> 00:31:39,535
So we're kind of stuck with the choice.
443
00:31:39,535 --> 00:31:41,615
We don't have a lot of choice right now.
444
00:31:41,615 --> 00:31:47,900
So I like that your, your your company is doing
this because it needs to be done.
445
00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:51,339
Well, you're well, there isn't a lot of choice
in 80%.
446
00:31:51,339 --> 00:31:56,460
Our research shows 80% of people still live at
home with their parents for that very reason.
447
00:31:57,285 --> 00:32:00,565
And that's not a sustainable solution like we
talked about.
448
00:32:00,565 --> 00:32:06,005
And with the example within my own family, I
don't know how my parents what they would have
449
00:32:06,005 --> 00:32:10,164
done if Luke would have been their son and my
mom would have gotten as debilitatingly sick if
450
00:32:10,164 --> 00:32:10,964
she did.
451
00:32:11,365 --> 00:32:15,279
So it's really important to start offering
choices.
452
00:32:15,279 --> 00:32:22,559
And I think the system today, and this is one
of my, like, my challenges to it.
453
00:32:23,119 --> 00:32:28,575
They kind of like, well, what you take what you
can get, it's kind of a take what you can get
454
00:32:28,575 --> 00:32:29,534
mentality.
455
00:32:29,535 --> 00:32:35,615
And that's, again, I am not diminishing or
dismissing the incredible work that many
456
00:32:35,615 --> 00:32:40,734
nonprofit organizations have done, but they're
doing it with limited resources and getting,
457
00:32:41,509 --> 00:32:43,989
you know, what government funding they can.
458
00:32:44,389 --> 00:32:50,549
And that just reinforces this cycle of, woah,
don't take what you can get.
459
00:32:50,630 --> 00:32:54,469
And, and also that Luke is a charity case.
460
00:32:54,549 --> 00:32:56,224
Luke's, a person.
461
00:32:56,384 --> 00:32:58,544
He's like, why?
462
00:32:59,345 --> 00:33:00,224
I don't.
463
00:33:01,105 --> 00:33:03,024
He's a person.
464
00:33:03,024 --> 00:33:06,144
He deserves to have choices, just like any
other person.
465
00:33:06,464 --> 00:33:12,339
So that's kind of the dynamic that I'm pushing
back on a little bit.
466
00:33:13,460 --> 00:33:19,380
A little bit there that like, and I think
that's a very, you know, I I'm a business major
467
00:33:19,380 --> 00:33:28,335
and a lot of there's a lot of like, either
Kenzian or Milton Friedman, whatever school,
468
00:33:28,414 --> 00:33:31,615
you know, there's this idea that the markets
will solve it.
469
00:33:32,095 --> 00:33:40,470
Well, well, the markets aren't solving this
because you know, there's not pure, pure, pure
470
00:33:40,470 --> 00:33:41,429
return.
471
00:33:41,509 --> 00:33:46,470
And but then on the other end, like in my
previous graphic, they're not solving it
472
00:33:46,470 --> 00:33:46,950
either.
473
00:33:46,950 --> 00:33:54,454
So one of the things that's really important in
bridge and our building is not homemaker
474
00:33:54,454 --> 00:33:58,054
personal care, Medicaid waiver billed services.
475
00:33:58,134 --> 00:34:01,254
This is a layer that we call supportive
amenities.
476
00:34:01,414 --> 00:34:06,934
And our friends at First Place are really good
about articulating what supportive amenities
477
00:34:06,934 --> 00:34:07,654
can mean.
478
00:34:08,829 --> 00:34:15,469
And for us, and research shows that people are
looking for services and supports like this.
479
00:34:15,789 --> 00:34:23,164
So we came up with this program called EML plus
and it's focused on skill building, social
480
00:34:23,164 --> 00:34:28,204
engagement opportunities and hangouts, and then
resource navigation and support.
481
00:34:29,405 --> 00:34:34,284
So when you move out of your family home, and
that's all you've ever known, there's a
482
00:34:34,284 --> 00:34:35,244
learning curve.
483
00:34:35,244 --> 00:34:39,839
And that's true whether you know, you're yeah,
you're going out to college for the first time,
484
00:34:39,839 --> 00:34:41,920
whether you have a developmental disability or
not.
485
00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:46,719
So our program is open for anybody that's
looking to, to build some life skills.
486
00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:50,880
But but it's designed in a way where it's neuro
inclusive.
487
00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,375
So for people with developmental disabilities
and their families that are thinking about
488
00:34:56,815 --> 00:35:02,175
moving outside of the family home, there are
skills that need to go along with with that
489
00:35:02,175 --> 00:35:06,920
move and how do we build and maintain those
skills to live outside the family home?
490
00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:11,079
So that is a big critical piece of our EML plus
program.
491
00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:13,960
Then there's a social component.
492
00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:22,554
You know, some people with developmental
disabilities like Luke, I don't know what, you
493
00:35:22,554 --> 00:35:24,554
know, he is largely nonverbal.
494
00:35:24,554 --> 00:35:30,074
He might have some barriers to planning a
social engagement.
495
00:35:30,074 --> 00:35:35,514
And I'm his mom and I'll do that when he's
little, but like, I want him to be able to have
496
00:35:35,489 --> 00:35:40,369
access to social opportunities without me
always having to plan them.
497
00:35:40,369 --> 00:35:43,010
Like, I want him to be able to have some agency
over that.
498
00:35:43,010 --> 00:35:48,929
So social engagement and opportunities to hang
out and build friendships and hang out with,
499
00:35:49,224 --> 00:35:54,824
with people that you feel comfortable with, a
really important element of this program.
500
00:35:55,304 --> 00:35:55,864
And
501
00:35:57,625 --> 00:36:02,344
so did you start this program as well with the
empower me living?
502
00:36:02,799 --> 00:36:04,719
Yes, this is part of empower me living.
503
00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:09,199
And the idea is that this this program is
included for residents.
504
00:36:09,199 --> 00:36:14,159
It's included in rent, but then we thought,
well, hey, we're already doing the program.
505
00:36:15,054 --> 00:36:19,535
And when we have properties, you know, we're
working on developing our properties.
506
00:36:20,815 --> 00:36:24,494
This won't be yet up in New Roots Oxford.
507
00:36:24,494 --> 00:36:28,260
We're looking at exploring how that ties in,
but New Roots is a little bit it's a
508
00:36:28,260 --> 00:36:29,140
homeownership model.
509
00:36:29,140 --> 00:36:30,180
It's a little bit different.
510
00:36:30,180 --> 00:36:31,380
For Yes.
511
00:36:31,460 --> 00:36:32,660
We think Columbus.
512
00:36:32,820 --> 00:36:33,460
Right?
513
00:36:33,460 --> 00:36:39,059
Well, we plan to build apartment communities
and go out in broader communities.
514
00:36:40,885 --> 00:36:43,364
And this will be included in rent.
515
00:36:43,364 --> 00:36:45,125
But then we realized, okay, we're already doing
it.
516
00:36:45,125 --> 00:36:47,364
So why don't we offer it to the broader
community?
517
00:36:47,364 --> 00:36:50,085
You don't have to live with us to participate
in this program.
518
00:36:50,244 --> 00:36:53,140
The other thing that we offer is support.
519
00:36:53,140 --> 00:37:03,619
So participants in our program, they can book
one on one time with our team leaders that run
520
00:37:03,619 --> 00:37:08,414
our programming and they can talk about, Hey,
like I'm navigating an issue with my roommate
521
00:37:08,414 --> 00:37:12,654
or I'm looking to, I wanna get a job.
522
00:37:12,654 --> 00:37:16,094
Do you know of a coach that could help me all
kinds of issues.
523
00:37:16,094 --> 00:37:26,260
And, you know, one of the parents of been these
are all parents, our current program is running
524
00:37:26,260 --> 00:37:30,659
based out of our Anderson location, where our
headquarters is.
525
00:37:31,094 --> 00:37:35,094
And I had a parent in the video and I can share
that so you can link it.
526
00:37:36,215 --> 00:37:40,135
She said, and this is something that really
struck with me.
527
00:37:40,934 --> 00:37:43,815
She said, anyone can say that they're doing
inclusion.
528
00:37:44,420 --> 00:37:47,380
But it's quite another thing to feel like you
belong.
529
00:37:47,780 --> 00:37:48,900
Absolutely.
530
00:37:49,380 --> 00:37:50,579
100%.
531
00:37:50,579 --> 00:37:58,105
I had someone on my program who said that it's
not about including somebody, it's about making
532
00:37:58,105 --> 00:38:00,905
them making sure that they belong.
533
00:38:00,905 --> 00:38:02,505
It's about belonging.
534
00:38:02,825 --> 00:38:04,265
It's about belonging.
535
00:38:04,265 --> 00:38:06,265
That looks different for everybody.
536
00:38:06,265 --> 00:38:11,065
And that's not a government defined term.
537
00:38:11,065 --> 00:38:13,760
That is a self determined term.
538
00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:21,039
And I think we've gotten into this weird space
where sometimes people, you know, try and claim
539
00:38:21,039 --> 00:38:24,000
ownership over what belonging looks like for
somebody else.
540
00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:29,325
And I like that, that's, that's self
determination 101.
541
00:38:29,325 --> 00:38:35,565
And, and we all know, and this is what we say,
we're not just building a real estate company.
542
00:38:36,125 --> 00:38:42,219
We are building real estate where people feel
like they belong, whatever that means to them.
543
00:38:42,219 --> 00:38:48,460
Like we want the goal to be we're building,
we're building belonging, because we all know
544
00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:53,244
whether you have a developmental disability or
not, we all know what it feels like when we
545
00:38:53,244 --> 00:38:54,605
feel like we don't belong.
546
00:38:54,605 --> 00:39:01,644
And when we feel like we do, and we want more
That's of when we feel like we what we are
547
00:39:01,644 --> 00:39:02,605
going for.
548
00:39:02,765 --> 00:39:07,260
And so part of, again, Nick, our thesis is
choice.
549
00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:09,420
There should be a range of choices.
550
00:39:09,819 --> 00:39:14,619
But how do we like, so we're gonna create these
hub properties.
551
00:39:14,940 --> 00:39:18,940
So if you don't want to live in an apartment
community, but you want to live in an accessory
552
00:39:18,940 --> 00:39:23,635
dwelling unit, in your on your parents'
property, your sister's property, whatever, and
553
00:39:23,635 --> 00:39:28,835
still get plugged in to what's going on at our
hub, you can be a part of this program.
554
00:39:30,114 --> 00:39:35,849
And I love that you keep bringing up that it's
about choice, especially here, because we're
555
00:39:35,849 --> 00:39:37,530
both in the state of Ohio.
556
00:39:38,010 --> 00:39:45,210
And one of Ohio's heart hallmarks, especially
in the disabled community, is that they're
557
00:39:45,210 --> 00:39:46,329
person centered.
558
00:39:47,045 --> 00:39:50,565
And a lot of times they have to be reminded of
that.
559
00:39:51,045 --> 00:39:59,844
And I love that you're helping through Empire
Made Living, remind people at the state level,
560
00:39:59,844 --> 00:40:03,530
hey, your mantra is, we're person centered.
561
00:40:03,530 --> 00:40:05,289
Let's put that into practice.
562
00:40:05,369 --> 00:40:06,650
I love that.
563
00:40:06,969 --> 00:40:09,530
Well, here's what I will say, Nick.
564
00:40:09,769 --> 00:40:17,414
It's person centered based on what the person
wants, not what you define it as for them.
565
00:40:17,414 --> 00:40:17,974
Yeah.
566
00:40:17,974 --> 00:40:21,734
That is where I think people get hung up.
567
00:40:22,214 --> 00:40:22,855
Yeah.
568
00:40:23,094 --> 00:40:24,135
Absolutely.
569
00:40:24,454 --> 00:40:32,219
And like we talked about yesterday in our our
pre call, you know, I still feel like there's
570
00:40:32,219 --> 00:40:37,180
some, like my apartment building where I live
now, it's all people with disabilities.
571
00:40:37,900 --> 00:40:41,260
But I kind of want to change that.
572
00:40:41,579 --> 00:40:47,855
Because if you ever have firehouse, because
we've had fire people show up, I've had the
573
00:40:47,855 --> 00:40:52,015
ambulance come get me several times to
unfortunately take me to a hospital.
574
00:40:52,335 --> 00:40:58,255
And one of the first things that they say, when
they notice that, know, I'm, I'm a person with
575
00:40:58,255 --> 00:41:02,789
a disability, and I have a caregiver with me is
who runs the facility.
576
00:41:03,029 --> 00:41:08,230
And so I wanna get out of that dynamic because
I don't live in a facility.
577
00:41:08,549 --> 00:41:08,869
No.
578
00:41:08,869 --> 00:41:10,150
You live in an apartment community.
579
00:41:10,150 --> 00:41:16,744
Just like and you have your own lease, and you
have your own, like, it's not like we consider
580
00:41:17,385 --> 00:41:20,264
that's kind of the F word.
581
00:41:20,264 --> 00:41:28,025
But what I, what I will say, because I do
think, I do think that we need to be very
582
00:41:28,025 --> 00:41:39,940
thoughtful about the reality that there are
people with developmental disabilities that
583
00:41:39,940 --> 00:41:48,195
require a higher level of support And the
current, the current offerings are failing
584
00:41:48,195 --> 00:41:53,235
them, and they're ending up in psychic
psychiatric institutions, and first And, like
585
00:41:55,954 --> 00:42:06,519
and, you know, I think just because someone is
quote unquote, in the community doesn't
586
00:42:06,519 --> 00:42:08,599
necessarily mean they belong.
587
00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:11,559
It can be just as isolating.
588
00:42:12,764 --> 00:42:18,284
I wish I could jump through the screen right
now and give you the biggest hug because oh my
589
00:42:18,444 --> 00:42:21,724
you're saying every well, you're in the system.
590
00:42:21,724 --> 00:42:28,480
So you you're saying everything that I try to
say on a weekly daily basis through my social
591
00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:29,760
media platforms.
592
00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:30,320
Alright.
593
00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:33,039
So so is this your last slide?
594
00:42:33,039 --> 00:42:33,440
Or is this
595
00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:34,400
this is it?
596
00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:37,599
This is this is EML plus EML plus is designed.
597
00:42:38,724 --> 00:42:43,364
So I come from a student housing background,
and we have all kinds of stuff like this kind
598
00:42:43,364 --> 00:42:45,925
of similar for college students.
599
00:42:46,565 --> 00:42:46,964
Right?
600
00:42:46,964 --> 00:42:49,364
Like we had social stuff going on.
601
00:42:49,445 --> 00:42:57,500
We had we had amenities and it made it made
what was an apartment complex for students into
602
00:42:57,500 --> 00:42:59,180
more of a community.
603
00:42:59,900 --> 00:43:06,585
And I think that's also this this missing layer
and what's currently out there is there no
604
00:43:06,585 --> 00:43:17,144
opportunity for real community building and a
recognition that some people need help and
605
00:43:17,144 --> 00:43:19,070
support building a community.
606
00:43:19,070 --> 00:43:20,670
And there's nothing wrong with that.
607
00:43:20,670 --> 00:43:23,949
And we should be able to provide that, that
should be able to happen.
608
00:43:23,949 --> 00:43:27,949
They should be able to add like our
participants, this is their program.
609
00:43:27,949 --> 00:43:34,714
Like, so they help drive like, they help drive
the curriculum, they help teach the curriculum,
610
00:43:34,714 --> 00:43:36,875
like for our adulting program.
611
00:43:38,635 --> 00:43:42,635
Because we do have some people that live out on
their own, and they can help like, it's all
612
00:43:42,635 --> 00:43:47,900
like this really cool, like peer based learning
and having fun.
613
00:43:47,980 --> 00:43:51,739
And it's been pretty amazing to see.
614
00:43:52,699 --> 00:43:59,744
It's been pretty amazing to see what what
happens when you can we you when you can reduce
615
00:43:59,744 --> 00:44:02,385
some of the friction to building community.
616
00:44:03,025 --> 00:44:04,385
That's what we're trying to do.
617
00:44:04,464 --> 00:44:06,944
What are you what are you hoping to do?
618
00:44:06,944 --> 00:44:13,824
What do you think the different what kind of
difference are you trying to make as opposed to
619
00:44:14,539 --> 00:44:22,940
your normal run of the mill your normal run of
the mill HUD housing property?
620
00:44:23,820 --> 00:44:26,780
How are you trying to distinguish yourself?
621
00:44:28,224 --> 00:44:35,585
That this is the the supportive amenities layer
is really is really what helps distinguish us.
622
00:44:36,224 --> 00:44:44,409
And then look, I think I will say this, gonna
build all types of housing, affordable market
623
00:44:44,409 --> 00:44:47,449
rate, because that's all what's gonna make it
work, right?
624
00:44:48,409 --> 00:44:54,105
Which is low income housing tax credits, very
competitive, not enough funding goes to that.
625
00:44:54,105 --> 00:44:58,985
And it's really onerous to get through for
developers to get those tax credits.
626
00:44:59,144 --> 00:45:03,385
Yes, it has helped unlock a lot of affordable
housing.
627
00:45:03,545 --> 00:45:09,030
But we need to push on how we can make that
program better and come up with new ones.
628
00:45:09,030 --> 00:45:11,750
HUD, you know, the the voucher program.
629
00:45:12,630 --> 00:45:17,190
It's good, but I will tell you, I've been a
landlord and I know landlords get a bad rap.
630
00:45:17,190 --> 00:45:18,470
But here's the thing.
631
00:45:19,269 --> 00:45:24,255
When you're capped on the rent that you can
charge, and all the costs to operate your
632
00:45:24,255 --> 00:45:25,775
property go up.
633
00:45:26,175 --> 00:45:26,414
Yeah,
634
00:45:26,414 --> 00:45:30,255
you have to start making sacrifices about how
you run that property.
635
00:45:31,055 --> 00:45:35,295
And try and figure out how you're gonna plug
the gaps if you can't raise your rent.
636
00:45:35,400 --> 00:45:41,159
Because when gas goes up, and you've got to
remove snow from your parking lot, the cost to
637
00:45:41,159 --> 00:45:45,159
remove that snow is going to go up because gas
has gone up.
638
00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:49,960
And if insurance to ensure your property goes
up, that's gonna go up.
639
00:45:50,525 --> 00:45:57,485
And, and, and then a lot of these programs come
with a lot of unfunded mandates.
640
00:45:57,724 --> 00:46:01,405
There's an incredible book, I've talked to you
about it before.
641
00:46:01,405 --> 00:46:06,150
It's called abundance It's by Ezra Klein and
Derek Thompson.
642
00:46:07,110 --> 00:46:18,434
And they talk about how, you know, the
government has kind of gotten in the way on
643
00:46:19,315 --> 00:46:25,075
changing our housing supply and building high
speed rail and doing a better job at energy.
644
00:46:25,315 --> 00:46:31,235
It's really interesting to it's a really
interesting listen or read, I highly recommend
645
00:46:31,235 --> 00:46:31,795
it.
646
00:46:31,795 --> 00:46:32,675
We'll do that.
647
00:46:33,260 --> 00:46:33,739
Do it.
648
00:46:33,739 --> 00:46:41,099
And it helps you understand, like California,
for example, with all the money that they have
649
00:46:41,099 --> 00:46:45,739
spent on trying to resolve homelessness, the
homeless population has increased.
650
00:46:46,539 --> 00:46:54,444
And because they aren't willing to build more
housing across the board, we need how we need
651
00:46:54,444 --> 00:46:56,764
all kinds of housing types across the board.
652
00:46:56,764 --> 00:46:59,644
We have too much demand chasing too little
supply.
653
00:47:00,079 --> 00:47:06,000
So we need to be focused on building more
housing supply and building more neuro
654
00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:07,840
inclusive housing supply.
655
00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:13,039
And I think I think we need to take a good hard
look at how we do.
656
00:47:13,755 --> 00:47:15,434
Well, we all know this.
657
00:47:15,434 --> 00:47:19,355
Everybody knows that we need to look at how we
do housing in this country and how we can do it
658
00:47:19,434 --> 00:47:20,315
better and differently.
659
00:47:20,315 --> 00:47:25,114
And I think, I think part of it is getting out
of our own way so that we can increase the
660
00:47:25,114 --> 00:47:25,994
supply faster.
661
00:47:26,619 --> 00:47:30,619
So are you is empower me living?
662
00:47:30,699 --> 00:47:33,980
Are you landlords now for people with
disabilities?
663
00:47:33,980 --> 00:47:35,579
Are you still in the beginning?
664
00:47:35,579 --> 00:47:36,219
Not yet.
665
00:47:36,219 --> 00:47:38,780
We're in the beginning stages.
666
00:47:39,019 --> 00:47:39,659
Not yet.
667
00:47:39,659 --> 00:47:41,099
But that's the goal.
668
00:47:41,099 --> 00:47:46,605
And, and again, having a landlord that I think
that's the other key piece of our goal, but
669
00:47:46,605 --> 00:47:51,885
educate other landlords on being landlords to
people with developmental disabilities, because
670
00:47:51,885 --> 00:47:53,485
it's gonna take all of us, right?
671
00:47:54,045 --> 00:48:00,099
But but having landlords that understand how to
be good landlords to people with developmental
672
00:48:00,099 --> 00:48:03,699
disabilities is another important part of our
mission, whether it's us being a landlord
673
00:48:03,699 --> 00:48:10,565
ourselves or educating, that's part of what the
empowerment center will do is educate other
674
00:48:10,565 --> 00:48:15,204
developers, landlords, how we need to increase
the supply.
675
00:48:15,764 --> 00:48:17,605
The primary living can't do it all.
676
00:48:18,724 --> 00:48:22,565
Nor do we want to because we again, we believe
there should be a marketplace of choices.
677
00:48:22,565 --> 00:48:24,164
We do think group homes are great.
678
00:48:24,164 --> 00:48:28,789
We have lots of those But we need more of
something different.
679
00:48:29,829 --> 00:48:36,070
I'm not, you know, like, I'm not there's no
it's not a one size fits all solution.
680
00:48:36,469 --> 00:48:36,710
No.
681
00:48:37,925 --> 00:48:41,364
And so we need we need more we need more
choices.
682
00:48:41,364 --> 00:48:42,965
We need more choices.
683
00:48:43,284 --> 00:48:44,244
Full stop.
684
00:48:44,405 --> 00:48:47,844
And and we need to like common business senses.
685
00:48:48,804 --> 00:48:52,244
You you build and make things that people want.
686
00:48:52,659 --> 00:48:56,579
And that's why we did this housing research
that shows here's what people want.
687
00:48:56,579 --> 00:48:58,260
They want more choices.
688
00:48:58,420 --> 00:49:00,980
They want to be able to live in an apartment
with their peers.
689
00:49:01,460 --> 00:49:04,179
They want to be able to live by themselves
without roommates.
690
00:49:04,179 --> 00:49:06,420
They want to be able to live in an accessory
dwelling unit.
691
00:49:06,420 --> 00:49:12,804
They want to be able to live in a mixed use
neighborhood that has apartments and townhomes
692
00:49:12,804 --> 00:49:14,724
and single family homes.
693
00:49:14,724 --> 00:49:16,965
You know, there's people want to have choices.
694
00:49:17,684 --> 00:49:22,965
Because I I think one of the problems,
especially with me getting an apartment on my
695
00:49:22,965 --> 00:49:27,340
own, I'm someone who needs twenty four seven
total care.
696
00:49:27,980 --> 00:49:35,820
So I think that runs into the issue too of,
well, the state doesn't want to pay for that.
697
00:49:36,380 --> 00:49:41,744
Plus, your rent voucher, and it's just a lot of
money and all that.
698
00:49:41,905 --> 00:49:45,105
So how can we how can we fix that too?
699
00:49:45,105 --> 00:49:47,824
How can the two and two go together?
700
00:49:47,824 --> 00:49:49,105
What are your thoughts on that?
701
00:49:49,105 --> 00:49:55,659
Because I, I shouldn't have to stay in a in a
home with roommates that number one, don't get
702
00:49:55,659 --> 00:49:56,219
along with.
703
00:49:56,219 --> 00:50:01,019
We're not on the same scale mentally or even as
far as disability.
704
00:50:02,664 --> 00:50:09,224
But I still need the care, you know, so how do
we how do we deal with this?
705
00:50:09,625 --> 00:50:11,944
I think that's where we've got to get
innovative.
706
00:50:11,944 --> 00:50:20,670
And we've got to think about we've got to
bridge, we have to stop putting the solutions
707
00:50:20,670 --> 00:50:24,349
all on the backs of the nonprofit or the
government to figure it out.
708
00:50:24,989 --> 00:50:25,549
Yeah.
709
00:50:25,549 --> 00:50:29,150
And then we have we have to access new sources
of capital.
710
00:50:29,925 --> 00:50:35,445
You're right, there is there is not an
unlimited pool of funding available from the
711
00:50:35,445 --> 00:50:36,085
government.
712
00:50:36,805 --> 00:50:40,405
I guess they could print money, but that would
be very problematic.
713
00:50:40,485 --> 00:50:44,019
And so we have to get more creative.
714
00:50:44,019 --> 00:50:50,739
And I think, Nick, I'm curious to ask, like, I
know that you need 20 fourseven care, but you
715
00:50:50,739 --> 00:50:53,780
don't need someone like in your sauce 20.
716
00:50:53,780 --> 00:50:55,034
Like, right?
717
00:50:55,034 --> 00:50:58,074
Like you need people to help you when you need
that help.
718
00:50:58,074 --> 00:51:02,474
And I think how do we come up with models where
a staff can be shared better?
719
00:51:02,474 --> 00:51:07,930
That's not necessarily in a group home because
that's, that's not the right thing.
720
00:51:07,930 --> 00:51:10,489
Like, right, like, we need to get creative and
dive in.
721
00:51:10,489 --> 00:51:13,769
And there's, there are great organizations
thinking about this.
722
00:51:13,769 --> 00:51:14,809
Well, yeah.
723
00:51:14,809 --> 00:51:21,875
And even in places in Florida, I've heard
where, you know, like, it's almost at a condo
724
00:51:21,875 --> 00:51:26,115
situation where there's twenty four hours staff
around.
725
00:51:26,355 --> 00:51:30,835
But if that person doesn't need twenty four
hours staff, they can go somewhere else in the
726
00:51:30,835 --> 00:51:34,369
building and work with somebody who needs them.
727
00:51:34,369 --> 00:51:39,489
And then when that person needs them again,
just hold for somebody else, you know.
728
00:51:39,730 --> 00:51:42,289
Right, but it's not an institution.
729
00:51:42,289 --> 00:51:43,329
It's an apartment.
730
00:51:43,329 --> 00:51:45,170
There's there's there's several.
731
00:51:45,569 --> 00:51:52,704
So Florida, they get pretty sure it's through
their Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.
732
00:51:53,585 --> 00:51:58,144
They get, you know, the state of Florida
Housing Authority, and the federal government,
733
00:51:58,144 --> 00:52:00,785
they get they get money from the federal
government and the state of Florida Housing
734
00:52:00,785 --> 00:52:05,389
Authority decides, okay, we're allocating this
much a year to our low income housing tax
735
00:52:05,389 --> 00:52:14,190
credit program, they have carved out
specifically 20 I believe it's $25,000,000 And
736
00:52:14,190 --> 00:52:20,045
I can't remember if it's every year or every
other year, just for neuro inclusive housing,
737
00:52:20,525 --> 00:52:22,204
just for neuro inclusive housing.
738
00:52:22,204 --> 00:52:27,085
That means that someone like Empower Me Living
doesn't have to compete against every other
739
00:52:27,085 --> 00:52:29,565
developer that's just trying to do affordable
housing.
740
00:52:30,140 --> 00:52:30,780
Sure,
741
00:52:30,780 --> 00:52:33,660
there's a focus on neuro inclusive housing.
742
00:52:34,059 --> 00:52:39,900
And there are some really cool projects that
have that have resulted from from that.
743
00:52:41,019 --> 00:52:47,235
Because Florida has made that decision, The
group that I referenced earlier that helped us
744
00:52:47,235 --> 00:52:52,434
with our market research, they published this
report called A Place in the World.
745
00:52:52,434 --> 00:52:55,795
And I will send you the link so that you can
link it in the show notes.
746
00:52:55,795 --> 00:53:01,800
But it details innovative models all over the
country.
747
00:53:01,960 --> 00:53:09,639
And their most recent addition does talk about
and focus more on people that have 20 fourseven
748
00:53:09,639 --> 00:53:16,085
support needs And and what are some great
solutions that we can come up with to to think
749
00:53:16,085 --> 00:53:18,965
about how how we do this better?
750
00:53:19,045 --> 00:53:24,085
What do you say to parents that are like, but I
don't even want to think about my special needs
751
00:53:23,940 --> 00:53:25,380
child living on their own.
752
00:53:25,380 --> 00:53:26,579
It's just not going to happen.
753
00:53:26,579 --> 00:53:30,420
Well, first of all, I'm going to say like, I'm
sorry to tell you that there's going to be a
754
00:53:30,420 --> 00:53:33,460
reality where you no longer can provide care
for them.
755
00:53:34,019 --> 00:53:37,300
Whether you're dead, I mean, I'm just I don't
mean to be right.
756
00:53:39,335 --> 00:53:43,734
My grandma always said there's two things that
are certain in his life death and taxes.
757
00:53:43,734 --> 00:53:51,174
So that but I will tell you, you've got to
start somewhere.
758
00:53:51,980 --> 00:53:54,860
On our website, we have some good resources.
759
00:53:55,819 --> 00:53:59,420
Read our housing market analysis, read a place
in the world.
760
00:53:59,420 --> 00:54:08,655
And then we have a presentation that talks
about housing choices and housing choices and
761
00:54:08,655 --> 00:54:12,015
options and how you can start thinking about
all of this.
762
00:54:12,015 --> 00:54:16,815
Thinking about supports, thinking about the
actual brick and mortar housing, thinking about
763
00:54:16,815 --> 00:54:19,695
what amenities, like what amenities are
important.
764
00:54:21,420 --> 00:54:26,219
Like that social pro like social engagement
opportunities like a social calendar at a
765
00:54:26,219 --> 00:54:27,659
community, right?
766
00:54:27,659 --> 00:54:31,099
That those kinds of things you can start
thinking about that.
767
00:54:31,340 --> 00:54:38,855
And then for adults that want to move out, you
can start thinking about this to start thinking
768
00:54:38,855 --> 00:54:44,375
about what you want your community to look like
and what where do you want to live and all on
769
00:54:44,375 --> 00:54:49,670
the place where you can download our report, we
have a lot of those resources to help families
770
00:54:49,670 --> 00:54:51,349
think about what this means.
771
00:54:51,349 --> 00:54:57,590
And then I don't know what Luke's future holds.
772
00:54:57,590 --> 00:55:04,035
I know that it's very bright, but I think about
like, how can I help start building in for him?
773
00:55:04,914 --> 00:55:12,035
Like, I don't know, I make him help me do the
dishes and clean and pick up his room and make
774
00:55:12,035 --> 00:55:16,119
choices about what he wants to wear and eat and
help me in the kit.
775
00:55:16,119 --> 00:55:24,840
Like he likes to help me cook like, he's only
six but I want to I want to start having him
776
00:55:24,840 --> 00:55:25,960
start building those skills.
777
00:55:26,864 --> 00:55:31,744
Yeah, I want to go back to some and I know we
have to wrap up here soon because of time, but
778
00:55:31,744 --> 00:55:36,385
I want to go back to something that you said
earlier on in the show.
779
00:55:36,385 --> 00:55:43,329
And you said, you know, it's really no
different than someone with an who is non
780
00:55:43,329 --> 00:55:46,130
disabled, you have to learn all these curves.
781
00:55:46,289 --> 00:55:50,050
And I want to not necessarily push back on that
a little bit.
782
00:55:50,050 --> 00:55:58,925
But I want to challenge that a little bit
because oh, you know, I, my brothers who are
783
00:55:58,925 --> 00:56:04,284
not disabled, did get the training and things
that they need.
784
00:56:04,284 --> 00:56:08,204
And they did get, you know, this is how you
budget.
785
00:56:08,699 --> 00:56:10,380
This is how you do this.
786
00:56:10,859 --> 00:56:14,859
And a lot of the people that I grew up around
did go through that.
787
00:56:14,859 --> 00:56:23,894
And I think a lot of times the reason why
people, with kids with disabilities, a lot of
788
00:56:23,894 --> 00:56:29,575
times, we are unlearned because parents don't
think we're gonna have to deal with any of that
789
00:56:29,575 --> 00:56:31,095
because of our disability.
790
00:56:32,215 --> 00:56:35,895
And like I earlier, there needs to be a reality
check.
791
00:56:36,535 --> 00:56:37,969
Well, okay.
792
00:56:37,969 --> 00:56:41,170
So that's like, so who taught your brothers
those things?
793
00:56:41,170 --> 00:56:42,530
Like, exactly.
794
00:56:43,010 --> 00:56:44,849
Did your parents teach them?
795
00:56:44,849 --> 00:56:50,049
Or did they like, I think there's remember, I
ran.
796
00:56:50,894 --> 00:56:54,015
I thank you, number one, I think you've been
challenging me.
797
00:56:54,735 --> 00:57:00,894
Because I do think you brought up something
very interesting, which is, is a thing that I
798
00:57:00,894 --> 00:57:04,900
think about a lot where people don't assume
competence, right?
799
00:57:05,059 --> 00:57:08,500
People don't assume competence, so they don't
teach.
800
00:57:08,500 --> 00:57:09,059
And you're right.
801
00:57:09,059 --> 00:57:11,460
So there's a lot of unlearned.
802
00:57:12,099 --> 00:57:16,739
And I think you're such a great advocate to
help remind people that no, you're gonna
803
00:57:16,739 --> 00:57:18,019
presume competence here.
804
00:57:19,214 --> 00:57:24,894
I also think this tell you that I'm managing a
student housing portfolio.
805
00:57:25,134 --> 00:57:28,574
This is a program that I would have loved to
get to a lot of the students who are living
806
00:57:28,574 --> 00:57:31,214
outside their family home for the first time,
right?
807
00:57:31,214 --> 00:57:35,110
Like, we had a lot of grease fires.
808
00:57:35,110 --> 00:57:39,190
We had a lot of people driving cars into
buildings.
809
00:57:39,190 --> 00:57:41,030
Sometimes like we had all kinds of things.
810
00:57:41,110 --> 00:57:44,309
So, but, oh yeah.
811
00:57:44,309 --> 00:57:45,590
Oh, I have lots of stories.
812
00:57:46,505 --> 00:57:55,945
I think what you're hitting on is this idea of
presuming competence and our program presumes
813
00:57:55,945 --> 00:57:56,744
competence.
814
00:57:56,744 --> 00:57:57,864
That's really important.
815
00:57:59,030 --> 00:58:05,269
That is really, really important to us is
presuming competence because you said it too,
816
00:58:05,269 --> 00:58:06,949
there's gonna be a reality check.
817
00:58:06,949 --> 00:58:10,789
This is gonna go from, from this is an
inevitability.
818
00:58:11,394 --> 00:58:16,035
And I will tell you the scary flip side of the
inevitability is that thirty to forty percent
819
00:58:16,035 --> 00:58:19,875
of our homeless population likely has some kind
of developmental disability.
820
00:58:20,035 --> 00:58:23,315
And they ended up being homeless because they
lost their caregiver.
821
00:58:24,289 --> 00:58:25,089
Yeah.
822
00:58:25,089 --> 00:58:26,449
That's that's oh my god.
823
00:58:26,449 --> 00:58:27,650
That's so scary.
824
00:58:28,210 --> 00:58:32,050
That's why I I pushed it so hard.
825
00:58:32,449 --> 00:58:36,530
And I told my parents, I said, I'm got to be
out on my own.
826
00:58:36,815 --> 00:58:39,454
They're like, Oh, you're always going to be
taken care of.
827
00:58:39,454 --> 00:58:40,815
And I'm like, by who?
828
00:58:42,255 --> 00:58:47,055
I can't all you know, I can't always rely on
family.
829
00:58:47,055 --> 00:58:52,300
I mean, I appreciate the fact that they felt
and they they felt they knew that I was always
830
00:58:52,300 --> 00:58:53,739
gonna be taken care of.
831
00:58:54,219 --> 00:59:00,380
But this idea that just because I have a
disability, I should always rely on somebody
832
00:59:00,380 --> 00:59:04,994
else and not worry about life and just it's
crazy.
833
00:59:05,394 --> 00:59:12,275
Well, and and thank you for being such an
advocate for this, like, write like this, like
834
00:59:12,275 --> 00:59:18,930
and showing that you like, this is not
unattainable and challenging that competent
835
00:59:18,930 --> 00:59:19,809
piece.
836
00:59:20,289 --> 00:59:24,530
And, you know, I understand what you're saying.
837
00:59:24,530 --> 00:59:25,890
It's like, oh, thanks.
838
00:59:25,890 --> 00:59:31,755
I'm glad, you know, like, I know that Luke's
siblings will be a part of his life.
839
00:59:31,914 --> 00:59:35,035
But I don't know what their lives are gonna
look like.
840
00:59:35,275 --> 00:59:39,994
Just like I didn't know that my mom would get
Parkinson's at 62 years old.
841
00:59:39,994 --> 00:59:40,235
Right?
842
00:59:40,235 --> 00:59:41,114
You just
843
00:59:41,114 --> 00:59:42,555
my goodness.
844
00:59:42,795 --> 00:59:42,954
Yeah.
845
00:59:43,929 --> 00:59:44,409
Right?
846
00:59:44,409 --> 00:59:51,210
Like, you you it's it's so important, and it
it's keep doing this, please.
847
00:59:51,210 --> 00:59:53,449
Just keep keep doing it.
848
00:59:53,449 --> 00:59:55,050
It's coming.
849
00:59:55,050 --> 01:00:02,664
We've got a lot of things coming at at Nick
Speaks, for the year 2026, and it's coming.
850
01:00:02,664 --> 01:00:05,385
Emily, I want to thank you so much for being
here.
851
01:00:06,184 --> 01:00:14,110
Again, what are your what are your last words
before we wrap up For people that are maybe
852
01:00:14,269 --> 01:00:19,390
thinking about their child's just throughout
the age out of school at the age of 21, if
853
01:00:19,390 --> 01:00:21,150
they're in a special needs program?
854
01:00:21,869 --> 01:00:24,190
What should parents start doing?
855
01:00:25,265 --> 01:00:27,025
Presume competence.
856
01:00:28,224 --> 01:00:28,864
Yeah.
857
01:00:28,864 --> 01:00:35,184
And and start thinking about the plan, and you
don't have to bite the whole elephant at once.
858
01:00:36,065 --> 01:00:36,625
But Yeah.
859
01:00:36,625 --> 01:00:38,079
Start thinking about it.
860
01:00:38,079 --> 01:00:44,000
Just start having a conversation, but above all
else, presume competence.
861
01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:45,839
That's awesome.
862
01:00:45,839 --> 01:00:48,239
Emily, thank you so much for being here.
863
01:00:48,559 --> 01:00:52,375
We'll see you on another show I'm sure soon.
864
01:00:52,454 --> 01:00:58,695
And I'll see you soon because we'll be working
together next week on our continuing project.
865
01:00:59,175 --> 01:01:02,535
So you guys, thank you so much for being here.
866
01:01:02,535 --> 01:01:08,349
This is the Nick Speaks podcast, the podcast
dedicated to the disabled community where we
867
01:01:08,349 --> 01:01:13,789
speak up, speak out and speak loud about the
issues that matter to the disabled the most.
868
01:01:13,950 --> 01:01:20,575
Remember to visit my newly launched website,
nickspeaksofficial.com.
869
01:01:20,575 --> 01:01:25,855
If you want to be on the show, or want to have
me at a speaking engagement, remember, that's
870
01:01:25,855 --> 01:01:27,454
how you can get ahold of me.
871
01:01:27,535 --> 01:01:29,934
Nickspeaksofficial.com.
872
01:01:30,094 --> 01:01:34,335
I will see you again next Tuesday for another
great episode.
873
01:01:34,335 --> 01:01:34,894
Bye bye.
874
01:01:36,980 --> 01:01:41,619
Thanks for tuning in to the Nick Speaks
podcast, where we speak up, speak out, and
875
01:01:41,619 --> 01:01:43,619
speak loud for the disabled community.
876
01:01:44,019 --> 01:01:49,655
If today's conversation resonated with you,
please like, subscribe, and hit that bell so
877
01:01:49,655 --> 01:01:51,335
you never miss a new episode.
878
01:01:51,894 --> 01:01:56,934
You can find Nick across all platforms by
visiting his link tree in the show notes, and
879
01:01:56,934 --> 01:01:59,014
please leave a comment to join the
conversation.
880
01:01:59,586 --> 01:02:04,386
Until next time, keep speaking up, keep
speaking out, and keep speaking loud.