I drafted the first strategic plan on housing in 1999—just two years after co-founding the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC)—but our first published research didn’t follow until a decade later through a study titled “Opening Doors: A Discussion of Residential Options For Adults Living with Autism and Other Related Disorders.” This groundbreaking study represents the evaluation of nearly 100 properties and programs for special populations across the U.S. It also presents 10 specific design goals and guidelines, maps out the steps required to build and advance a marketplace of housing options for special populations and includes a collection of resources. The study included focus groups involving more than 100 individuals with autism and their family members, helping shape our bold vision that endures to this day: to ensure that housing and community options are as bountiful for people with autism and other different abilities as they are for everyone else.
We recognized that collaboration among the public, private, philanthropic and nonprofit sectors is essential to achieving that vision. We brought together leaders from throughout Arizona and across the country to further inform our plans through a national family roundtable, two national charrettes and literally hundreds of meetings dissecting problems, probing solutions and anticipating new challenges.
This graphic is the result of our national family roundtable, summarizing the hopes and dreams of families. It’s stored in our ‘peace room’ and helped guide the development of First Place-Phoenix, together with other significant bodies of work.
We’ve learned a lot through the years and are eager to share more with you as we collaborate to empower a new wave of real estate in this important marketplace. Please join us for First Place AZ’s fall Global Leadership Institute Symposium from October 24 to 26. There’s still much to learn from each other—and even more we can do and build by working together!