Independent Living for People with Special Needs in Coventry
Mercian Housing Association has completed an innovative new project of refurbishing three properties in Coventry specifically designed to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities.
Coventry City Council originally approached Mercian, a housing association providing over 500 rented and first-time buyer homes in Coventry to acquire, refurbish and manage three separate properties in the Wyken area of Coventry which would provide homes for six people with special needs to enable them to live independently.
Mercian’s development subsidiary Zenith worked closely with the respective Housing and Learning Disabilities Teams within the Council’s Community Services Directorate to understand the housing and support needs of the individuals concerned.
The City Council agreed a Social Housing Grant contribution from its Strategic Housing Regeneration Fund towards Mercian's costs of acquiring and refurbishing the three properties
The six people who chose to live in the properties were consulted on the scope of the refurbishment and their ideas were incorporated within the scheme before the building works got under way. As a result, each property has been designed for two persons. Particular attention was given to modernising the kitchens and bathrooms and the inclusion of safety features.
The refurbished properties now enable the six individuals to live independently with support provided as required.
All of the properties involved are owned and managed by Mercian with the care being contracted through the Council’s Community Services Directorate.
After moving in and settling into their new homes, the residents are now very pleased to be able to live independently. One resident, Tracy said: “I really like my new house".
Sharon Gilligan, Housing Director from Mercian commented: “This has been a special project for us. The new homes for people with learning disabilities are allowing them a greater degree of independence and are more suitable to their needs. We hope to be able to continue provide housing for people with special needs in the future."
Councillor Hazel Noonan, the City Council's Cabinet Member Community Services and Housing said: "All six people had been identified as potentially needing more appropriate accommodation to enable them to live independently in the community. This project has helped us to address their needs and allow them to remain independent in their own homes.”