Shovels are in the ground for a new 56-unit apartment complex in Brockport that will provide housing for a diverse group of residents, including people with developmental disabilities.
Gerald DeWinde, of Pittsford, is hoping to become one of the tenants at Frances Apartments.
The 46-year-old is wheelchair-bound and has been living with cerebral palsy since birth. He currently shares a house with other individuals; all are helped by support workers because of their disabilities.
DeWinde said though he’s happy with the friendships he has made, it is time for him to branch out on his own.
“Yes I’m in a chair, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have the physical ability to do anything I set my mind to do,” said DeWinde.
DeWinde said moving into the new accessible apartment would give him a sense of independence and he would feel like he belongs within the larger community.
“People in general need to know more about the challenged population than they do,” said DeWinde, “Yes, you do see them around the city, but do you actually take the time to get to know them?”
Lifetime Assistance, Inc., an agency that supports people with disabilities, partnered with Rochester’s Cornerstone Group to obtain state funding and get the housing project off the ground.
“It will provide affordable, accessible housing and meet the most fundamental and basic human needs: a warm and safe home,” said Lifetime Assistance, Inc. President James Branciforte at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.
The complex is fittingly named after Frances Barrier Williams, a Brockport native known for her work promoting civil rights and inclusion, and the first African-American woman to graduate from SUNY College at Brockport.
Frances Apartments will also be open to low to moderate income working families when officials begin taking applications on January 1.
DeWinde works twice per week and spends a fair amount of time advocating for disability rights. He said though the housing project is a step in the right direction, there are still many other advancements to be made for people with disabilities.
“They have gotten it right. But there’s no way I’m going to stop fighting for things that people need,” he said.
The first tenants should be able to move into Frances Apartments in May 2017.
