WPTV has been working to find answers on the huge need for affordable housing in our area, and learned options for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — or IDD — are even more challenging.
"For those who have these problems, and these challenges, and do not have a place to live, they become a ward of the state and either go into a state group home or a state institution," said Jeffrey Bookstein, vice president of development with the Pulte Family Foundation.
The Pulte Family Foundation has partnered with the IDDeal Foundation to create a first-of-its-kind housing community specifically catered to adults with IDD.
It's called the IDDeal Place and will be located north of Lantana Road, just east of the Turnpike.
"For these adults, this is going to be their community, their family, they help each other when someone needs help, when they need support, when they just need a hug, someone is going to be there for them," said Bonnie Schmidt with the IDDeal Foundation, who also has two daughters with IDD.
Her biological daughter Jessica is 41 years old has Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase deficiency, which caused brain damage when she was six weeks old.
Schmidt also has guardianship of her second daughter Kim, who is 38 years old with autism.
"It's been overwhelmingly stressful to think what's going to happen to them when I'm no longer here to take care of them," said Schmidt.
IDDeal Foundation research states there are more than 8,000 adults with IDD in Florida waiting for a place to live.
It only found seven IDD communities in Florida, which have fewer than 600 beds in total.
"It will become a crisis in the state," said Bookstein. "The population of IDD residents has so far surpassed senior housing needs that it boggles the mind."
The IDDeal Foundation found Florida currently ranks #49 in the nation in caring for citizens with IDD.
Bookstein said he took the IDDeal Place project idea to Tallahassee and received $1 million for vertical construction of the project.
"There's no doubt about it, the state of Florida as a whole needs more communities like this," said Bookstein. "This isn't a facility, this isn't an institution, it's just a big beautiful home for them to live in and come and go as they please."
The three-acre complex will house 24 people, each with their own bedroom, and shared kitchen and living areas.
"For me as a mom it makes me feel like I could breathe, which has really been hard to do," said Schmidt.
Schmidt will be living in the director's residence of the IDDeal Place, and her daughters will be moving into the housing units.
"When you talk to them, are they excited, anxious? How do they feel?" asked WPTV's Joel Lopez.
"So, it's probably all of the above. It goes from excitement but then scared on who's going to help me with this, who's going to help me with that," said Schmidt.
Residents will be screened by an independent organization, to ensure they're placed in the proper living space.
The IDDeal Place will be under the 24-hour supervision of experts in the IDD field.
On average, residents will pay under $1,500 a month, which includes utilities, food, individual support, transportation and more.
"Miracles do happen, dreams do come true," Schmidt said.
The IDDeal place is expected to be up and running by 2026.
