Category Archives: Accessibility

Resources for Inclusive, Interdependent Communities

Att eh DD Council, we are BIG fans of Jon McKnight and his colleagues and many of his books are in our library.  Here are some online, free resources:

Community Organizing by John McKnight (2013)

The Classic Duo: Accountability and Community Development Can Help Unlock an Abundance of Resources by Dan Duncan (2012).

Gift of Individuals by Mike Green. Also see his geat article on community building, “The Right Ducks.”

Also see Green’s Person-Centered and Community-Centered Inclusion Work.

TimeBanking is a way of giving and receiving to build supportive networks and strong communities. One hour helping another earns one TimeBank Hour (also called time credits, service credits or time dollars.) TimeBanking builds on the magic of “pay it forward,” one good turn leading to another and another.

Finally, a very BIG resource is the 46 chapter Community Toolbox — worth your time to go through!

OK Public Housing

The Public Housing Program, under the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income families, including persons with disabilities.

Eligibility is determined by: 
1) Annual gross income. Income limits vary from town to town and county to county!

2) Whether you qualify as elderly, a person with a disability, or as a family

3) U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.

You will be asked to provide references, which will be checked, to make sure you and your family will be good tenants.

How DO I Apply?

If you are interested in applying for public housing, contact your local HA.

HUD also addresses these questions:

1. As a person with a disability, what are my housing rights?  What are my rights as they relate to HUD Public Housing?

2. What kind of housing assistance is available to persons with disabilities?

3. I feel I may have experienced housing discrimination because of my disability. What can I do?

A directory of OK Public Housing Authority offices is here.

Visitability & Home Design

Visitability is a disability advocacy movement to create systemic change in new home construction so that all persons can feel welcomed.  Thinking about these issues as you build or participate in city planning is a great Partners practice!

Learn more at Concrete Change as well as Advocating for Universal Design.