A Chicago-area man is finally getting the opportunity to learn what it feels like to live in his own home, following a victory in federal court that enables people with disabilities to use their government support payments to move into community housing.
David Cicarelli was the lead plaintiff in a 2005 class action suit seeking the right for people with disabilities to have greater freedom of choice over how and where they live. While it took over five years for an agreement to be reached by the teams of attorneys representing all the parties, advocates for people with disabilities say the decision sets a precedent that could impact the lives of thousands of Illinois residents currently living in larger facilities.
But last Friday, the only thing that mattered to the 38-year old Cicarelli was the chance to have his own room for the first time in his life. Reporter Burt Constable and photographer George LeClaire of the Daily Herald joined David and his parents on moving day to capture the excitement, and the decorating decisions:
David says his portable fire pit will go next to the patio in the fenced-in backyard. The basement party room is the spot for the whimsical wooden maid figurine, which will sport a candy dish on her outstretched tray. That freshly painted bright blue wall in his bedroom — the first time as an adult that he’s had a room of his own — was chosen by David to match a wall at the Wheeling High School football field he can see from his house.
With four roommates sharing the two-story house, Cicarelli is sure to have a full social schedule. The location allows each of them to walk or take a bus to their respective jobs. The residential director, Sam Tenuto, tells Constable that caretakers are provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure the men have “as much freedom and responsibility as they can handle safely.”
Constable saves some of the best news for last when he reveals that the new program will cost less for Illinois taxpayers than maintaining facilities that house hundreds of people with disabilities at a time. It will be interesting to note similar benefits in other states as they move toward welcoming people with disabilities into their communities.
We noted Virginia as one state in particular a few weeks ago, as legislators begin formulating a plan that will give more than 1,000 people with disabilities the chance to live independently in the same communities as other citizens.
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Image by peretzp (peretz Partensky), used under its Creative Commons license.
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