Dennis, Mass. — A housing project championed by the Friends or Relatives with Autism and Related Disorders (FORWARD) is one step closer to becoming a reality as the selectmen of Dennis County approved a 99-year lease of a 4.9 acres of land located in Hokum Rock Road.
The $1.5 million-project will be home to eight adults with autism. The organization aims to secure their future through the construction of two phases of duplex homes that include facilities specialized to help individuals on the autism spectrum.
The houses will be overseen by staff members, who will also be tasked to provide assistance to each of the project’s residents.
FORWARD is a non-profit organization started by couple John and Kathy Ohman, who decided to start the charity in hopes of finding a safe place for two of their sons who were diagnosed with autism— as they grow into adults and age out of programs for special needs students.
According to Ohman, once they age out of it, students become displaced after years and years of training under their special needs program— and many of them have little to no understanding of what is happening, and have no idea what to do next.
He told:
“We’re treating them with dignity, to live in their own community with people like them in a nice community setting.”
FORWARD’s housing project is supported by the Housing Assistance Corporation, and is hoping to get funding for the $1.5 million through the Community Preservation Act.
Source: CapeCod.com: Selectmen approve Dennis housing project for adults with autism