Housing for Disabled

“Comforts of Home for the Disabled” was the telling headline of The Times’ June 25 editorial. It was a beautiful way to conjure up the true meaning of the affordable and specially designed apartments newly available to disabled people, the result of the combined efforts of a major local church and a nonprofit organization.

Many people I know whose disabilities are developmental, my own mentally retarded adult son included, live in community-based large facilities which are anything but homelike. These disabled people live in crowds of anywhere from 25 to 125 people in worn-out, uncomfortable buildings. Caring staff, even good and very good care do not compensate these disabled renters for an environment that aggravates their handicaps.

The new apartment complex has shown how it can be done. Hopefully, it will motivate the development of other appropriate housing to accommodate the special needs of still more disabled people.

MURIEL COHEN

Los Angeles