âA wonderful opportunityâ: New housing option for adults with developmental disabilities
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Updated: 7:21 PM CDT Mar 15, 2021
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Updated: 7:21 PM CDT Mar 15, 2021
Omaha's tight housing market continues to put the squeeze on many. But KETV NewsWatch 7 learned more on Monday evening about one plan to help."Sheltering Tree" is working to provide affordable housing in Papillion to those with disabilities.For the last 19 years, Cody Randels has been living at home, learning skills like cooking, to help him be more independent.âHot dogs, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets,â said Randels.Born with Fragile X Syndrome, the goal has been to have him live on his own someday.âWhat will happen to my child when I am no longer able to care for them?â said Kelly Coleman.Soon he will have that opportunity with Sheltering Tree, an organization here in Nebraska which builds communities for those with developmental disabilities.According to the executive director, Denise Gehringer, Randels is one of more than 140 people who are on the waiting list for this new Papillion community.âWe are not far from the Shadow Lake Towne Center, which allows our residents the opportunity to walk to employment, to walk for grocery needs,â said Gehringer.Gehringer said there are more than 2,900 adults with developmental disabilities in the state looking for housing and hopes their third location will help with that need.It will cost around $10.6 million.Cody's mom said their whole family cannot wait to visit him in his new space.âThey are just a wonderful opportunity for kids to live in an environment they can call their own,â said Coleman.They plan to start construction on the land sometime this summer, with plans to finish it sometime in the next 12-18 months.