NEENAH, Wis. — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four Wisconsin adults live with a disability.
Finding housing for people with physical disabilities can be difficult because the necessary modifications can be costly.
Some residential architecture students at Fox Valley Technical College want to change that.
What you need to know: FVTC Construction Students Build First Home for Adults with Disabilities
The new project is being undertaken at Covey’s request.
People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by the lack of accessible and affordable housing.
Ben Fouts is a residential architecture instructor at Fox Valley Technical College. Before he began teaching students, Fouts ran a construction company for 12 years.
His students are learning the difference between standard housing and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant housing.
“A standard vanity is not going to be the norm here. We’re going to make sure someone can walk under it and get out without backing up, so convenience is maintained,” Fouts said.
The four-bedroom home at Neenah is the University’s first fully accessible, transit-friendly housing.
Architecture student Justin Goulasch has been working on the project since it broke ground last May. He recently installed wheelchair-accessible closet doors and says the project has been a great learning experience.
“I had never been involved in building a home for people with disabilities before, but it was a great experience. I’m very grateful to have been able to participate in this program this summer and to have been awarded the contract to build this home,” Gulash said.
The university has partnered with Covey, an organization that provides respite care and services for people with disabilities in the Fox Valley.
Covey CEO Pam Schutz said thanks to the students’ hard work, the residence hall will help meet the housing needs of people with disabilities.
“This project will help fill that gap. We will be a home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as those who have mobility challenges,” Schutz said.
Fouts said he is pleased that his students have added another ADA-compliant home to the Fox Valley area.
“This is a lasting impact and by making an impact like this, we’re impacting the lives of four people who live here, so it’s great to be involved in this project,” Fouts said.
A university spokesman said the project is expected to be completed by June.