Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct a typo. Friends of Johnson County Developmental Supports received help from E&K of Kansas City for this project.
A local nonprofit that restores homes for people living with disabilities has debuted a new project — its first house built from the ground up.
Friends of Johnson County Developmental Supports introduced their newest property to the public during an open house on April 16.
Not only does this mark the organization’s 22nd home, but it’s their first built from the ground up. The others built prior to this have been renovations. The property is located in the 7000 block of Widmer Road in Shawnee.
Friends of JCDS is a nonprofit, dedicated to providing affordable and accessible housing for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Established in 1990, the nonprofit started out with the goal of raising money for craft supplies so the people they serve could participate in the arts, said CEO Janel Bowers.
Since then, the nonprofit has worked toward revamping local properties to meet the needs of disabled community members.
“This was the first time we’ve ever built a house from scratch,” Bowers said. “So it was certainly a learning experience for us.”
Bowers said they purchased the lot in 2019. However, they ended up waiting to break ground on the project until summer 2023.
That was partially due to constraints created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The nonprofit was unable to access certain materials or assemble a construction crew large enough to meet their demands. The total reduced cost of the project estimates around $500,000, made possible by the substantial number of volunteers.
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom home has one garage and a smooth walk up entrance — rather than a ramp or stairs — to increase its accessibility. The laundry room also doubles as a safe room in case of an emergency.
Not only did they build the one-story home without stairs to allow the use of mobility devices, but they also made hallways and bathrooms as spacious as possible.
To factor in affordability, each renter will pay $370 per month. Johnson County Developmental Supports has a fee agreement with each tenant that covers all utilities, food, internet, cable and household basics. They do not charge for deposits, application fees or do credit checks.
The home’s exterior was intentionally designed to blend in with that of the surrounding residential neighborhood.
As of now, three adults are set to move in on April 29: Michael Pierce, Bill Eastham and Robert Schmidt. Each are thrilled to embark on a new experience, and get to know their neighbors.
“I’m nervous about a new environment,” Pierce said. “[But], I’ll adjust.”
He’s already packing his Chiefs gear for the move. He said the first thing he’ll do at his brand new home is fire up the grill.
Bowers said she and the team behind the new house are “just trying to do the good work.”
“And we appreciate everybody’s help, from E&K [of Kansas City] and JE Dunn, to the people that came to the open house just cause they were curious,” Bowers said. “I’m excited when other people get excited about what we do.”
