Resources: A Home of My Own
Two organizations/communities in Canada are examples of developing support organizations and housing co-operatives that work together. NABORS is a support organization that is an association of thirteen people with disabilities, their families and friends. It was instrumental in developing two housing co-operatives in Toronto, Canada. The organization combines a dedication to individual control, a home of your own, and building community.
According to the CoHousing Network(http://www.cohousing.org/) "CoHousing communities balance the traditional advantages of home ownership with the benefits of shared common facilities and ongoing connections with your neighbors. These cooperative neighborhoods are one of the most promising solutions to many of today's most challenging social and environmental concerns."
According to VOICEPRINT1 "Because CoHousing offers so many supports, it is a natural choice for self-advocates who are ready and financially able to own a home. Self-advocates can have the help and support of their community, and also the independence of having their own place to live. By making decisions on how the housing development operates, self-advocates in CoHousing become full and valued citizens…"
1VOICEPRINT, St. Paul, MN, 1994