HOOO WE ARE

Home of Our Own began with a simple question: Where will adults with different abilities live when they are ready for independence, or when their families can no longer support them at home?

Home of Our Own (HOOO) grew from a dream of a small group of concerned citizens who shared a similar vision: to find homes for adults with developmental, physical, or intellectual disabilities.  We envisioned creating a place that would allow differently abled adults to live as independently as possible in a stable, safe and familiar setting—a place where they can be integral and valued members of their larger community, and live along side others who also need rental housing they can afford.   What we wanted didn't exist, so we decided to create it!

​HOOO is incorporated as a Wisconsin non-profit corporation, and operates under the umbrella of Southwest Community Action Program (SWCAP), a federal 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

THE VISION

THE DEMAND FOR SPECIAL NEEDS & WORKFORCE HOUSING

Adults with disabilities face many obstacles in finding suitable housing. In Wisconsin, persons with special needs—especially those in rural areas—often move away from their home communities, families and friends in order to find suitable, affordable housing. The limited housing stock for adults with different abilities is concentrated in large cities. Due to lack of appropriate housing, many adults with disabilities continue to live with their aging parents. Too often, they move out only when their parents die or become too elderly to care for them. The result is a crisis-driven transition that occurs without sufficient planning or needed supports. Young adults with special needs, just like other young people, want and deserve a practical path to live safely and independently in homes of their own.

WORKFORCE HOUSING SHORTAGE
​High-quality affordable and market-priced rental housing options are in short supply, especially in rural areas. Hourly employees, or those in community-service jobs such as teaching, law enforcement, nursing, and social work are frequently priced out of home ownership. Workforce rental housing offers stability for workers and their families, improves a region’s ability to attract and retain good employees, and expands the customer base for local businesses.
​
MARKET RATE HOUSING NEED
Research also identifies the need for market-rate housing for millennials and seniors. According to surveys, a large share of millennials favor rental housing over home ownership. Likewise, many seniors prefer the option of continued independence coupled with the opportunity to be part of an active residential community, without the headaches of home upkeep.​

​SPECIALIZED HOUSING NEED
​The need for special needs housing is just as great locally as it is state and nationwide. Some housing is provided through group homes or federally funded rental assistance programs, but these options meet only a fraction of the demand. ​​

MEETING THE NEED 
​HOOO is partnering with Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation (WHPC) to make our vision a reality.  For the past 20 years, WHPC has been addressing the shortage of workforce housing by developing, acquiring and preserving a supply of affordable rental housing.  Today, WHPC owns over 8,200 units in 57 of the state's 72 counties.  Even with the unemployment rate at an all-time low, the pay disparity compared to increased housing costs still requires an adequate supply of workforce units.  With affordable rents, residents can have more financial security and safe, quality places to live.
​

"If you’re a single person with a disability who just needs minimal accommodations like me there are no options.... There’s options for the elderly, and low income families, but not us. I love my family, they let me live with them for free, and drive me around since I can’t, but that’s not what I want, and its not what I was raised to want. It made me so happy when I heard about your project." 
​- Shaun R., East Troy, Wisconsin