What happens to someone with intellectual or developmental disabilities when their parents can no longer care for them? That is a question faced by more than 7 million families in this country. Depending on the community in which one lives, there may be any number of options, but few are ideal.
That’s why I was intrigued when I heard about Haven on Main, a new 70-unit apartment building being planned in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Approximately half the apartments will be designed for disabled residents; most of the remaining units will be priced below market rates, adding to the supply of affordable housing in the area.
The model for Haven on Main is an apartment building in the small town of New Glarus that opened its doors in 2020. Named Prairie Haus, it was founded by parents of children with disabilities to provide a place for them to flourish in adulthood. They call it “a neighborhood in a building.”
The residents of Prairie Haus range in age from 8 months to 80 years old. Half of them have intellectual or developmental disabilities and require a certain amount of support to live independently. The remaining residents are mostly people looking for affordable housing: single mothers, young couples, families, and senior citizens.
I wanted to learn more about the experience of those who lived in the building, so I talked to Mary Anne Oemichen, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Home of Our Own, the nonprofit organization that oversees programs at Prairie Haus. Her daughter Amy, who has autism, is a resident.
Mary Anne told me that when she got together with other parents to plan for their children’s future, they hoped to provide an opportunity for them to flourish. Yet, Prairie Haus has exceeded their expectations. “We always thought Amy was happy at home,” she reflected, yet now she has her own place. Amy is not only happier; she has become more social.
Before Prairie Haus, Amy’s world consisted of her mom, dad, and brother. Now her world is her neighbors: the friends who live in the building, the people who come to visit, and many dogs and cats with whom she interacts daily. She still visits her parents on the weekends, but after a day or so, she is ready to go back “home.”
Part of the success of Prairie Haus is the integration of several communal spaces in which the residents of the building can get to know one another. There is an entrance lobby, a large community room, a community kitchen, a fireplace area, a mail room with tables covered in puzzles, a rooftop deck, a courtyard with patio furniture, and an indoor walking loop.
The communal spaces are essential. They provide a variety of “third places” inside the building for residents to get to know one another, to share stories, to smile and laugh together, to have fun.
Activities take place weekly. On the day I talked with Mary Anne, they were having a Hawaii-themed event, with games, pineapple treats, and movies. Next week they will hold a first responders’ day, so residents can get to know their local police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. The most popular event every month is bingo night.
Prairie Haus is intentional about creating conditions for a robust social life. That’s something needed by everyone in our country right now, not just those with special needs. Loneliness is at an all-time high in our country, and one of the reasons is that friendship is declining. The 2024 American Social Capital Survey reports that 44 percent of Americans say they have few or no close friends living nearby. For too long, we have built living spaces designed to keep people apart rather than connect us to one another.
The key to buildings like Prairie Haus and Haven on Main is that they are designed to be inclusive, multi-generational, and affordable, in which residents can get to know their neighbors, both inside the building and out. It’s a bold idea, timely and practical. It is a model more communities should adopt.
The folks who dreamed, designed, and raised funds for Prairie Haus wanted to provide independence for people like Amy. But what they found was even greater: the residents discovered interdependence. That is the secret to a good life for anyone, not just those with disabilities. It is the kind of home we all need.
Richard Kyte 9/11/2024
Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis. His new book, Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way), is available from Fulcrum Books.
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