Chatham Association for Residential Services, Inc.

Housing Administrator, Janice Miller

 

            Chatham Association for Residential Services consists of five housing corporations created and sponsored by The Kicklighter Resource Center, Inc.  The program consists of two (2) ten unit apartment complexes and four (4) group homes.  Initially, it was established to provide safe, affordable, hazard free housing for people with mental retardation.  Over the past ten (10) years, the program has expanded to serve tenants with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Tenant rents are subsidized by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  HUD pays approximately 70% of the market rent for people living in these facilities.  Tenants are required to pay up to 30% of their monthly gross income for rent, regardless of rent amount.  When operating residential homes for people with developmental disabilities, many changes and alterations have to be made to ensure their comfort and safety.

 

2006/2007-Independent Living

            This past year has proved to be the year of independence.  Tenants are trained to live alone with minimal supervision in the apartments and with intense supervision in the group home setting.  Apartment tenants are taught to do everyday chores that “normal” people engage in.  With staff supervision, they are able to cook their own meals, plan weekly activities, work in the community, and perform other tasks that most normally take for granted.  Many of the tenants are now able to read a bus schedule and ride the bus to any destination unaccompanied.  Tenants are able to call a taxi and actually tell the taxi driver what location they want to be taken to.  Group home tenants are included in the planning of meals, activities, and are encouraged to help with chores in the home.  Even though they require more intense supervision, they are included in the planning of many activities.

 

The year 2007/2008; A Look Ahead:

In the year 2007/2008, we plan to meet with community leaders and care givers to assess the need for new construction with funding from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  If there is a need, the new building(s) will afford us the opportunity to hire new staff to help run the planned properties in Effingham, Bryan, Chatham, and surrounding counties.  We will be able to serve more tenants and provide additional services that would, otherwise, be unavailable.

Hillary Muramoto
Public Relations Coordinator
Kicklighter Resource Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 13625, Savannah, GA 31416
phone:(912)355-7633 fax:(912)355-4206