{"id":211037,"date":"2026-03-29T22:54:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T22:54:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/211037\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T22:54:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T22:54:31","slug":"independence-landing-a-housing-model-for-today-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/211037\/","title":{"rendered":"Independence Landing: A housing model for today, the future"},"content":{"rendered":"

March 27, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET<\/p>\n

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and the 2026 theme \u2014 \u201cWe\u2019re Here: Then, Now, Always\u201d \u2014 is both a celebration and a challenge. It reminds us to recognize the progress that has been made for people with developmental disabilities while also asking whether our communities are truly inclusive today.<\/p>\n

\u00a0In Tallahassee and across Leon County, one barrier stands out above many others: the affordable housing crisis. As housing costs continue to rise throughout Florida, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are often left with limited options. For many families, the traditional paths remain group homes or assisted living facilities \u2014 settings that can be valuable but are not always designed for individuals who can live independently with the right supports.<\/p>\n

Too often, the conversation about disability focuses on limitations rather than possibilities. Yet across our community, adults with IDD are proving every day that independence, employment, and meaningful community life are not just aspirations \u2014 they are realities when the right opportunities exist.<\/p>\n

\u00a0That belief is at the heart of Independence Landing in Tallahassee. Our unique model centers on something simple but powerful: affordable, supported housing that allows adults with developmental disabilities to live independently while remaining connected to services, employment opportunities, and a vibrant community.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Residents live in their own apartments, manage their own schedules, and build lives that reflect their goals and talents \u2014 not a predetermined program. By breaking away from the \u201cone-size-fits-all\u201d approach that has historically dominated disability housing, Independence Landing is demonstrating what inclusive living can look like when dignity, autonomy, and community are placed at the center.<\/p>\n

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Housing, however, is only part of the equation. Real independence also requires opportunity.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

\u00a0Through our culinary workforce development program, residents and community members gain job training and real-world experience that leads to employment and confidence. That effort led to the creation of The Press Cafe\u0301 \u2014 a community cafe\u0301 where individuals of all abilities work side-by-side, building skills and relationships while serving the public. Open Monday\u2013Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Cafe\u0301 proudly boasts the official stamp of approval from the Tallahassee Foodies scene\u2014a testament to our students’ hard work and dedication.<\/p>\n

\u00a0What makes these programs truly special is not just the model itself, but the way our community has embraced it. Local businesses, volunteers, donors, and neighbors have stepped forward to support the cafe\u0301, mentor participants, and champion inclusive employment. Their involvement proves something important: inclusion works best when the entire community participates.<\/p>\n

\u00a0During Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we celebrate how far we have come. But we must also ask ourselves how far we are willing to go.<\/p>\n

\"Exterior<\/p>\n

\u00a0The affordable housing crisis is not going away, and people with disabilities cannot remain an afterthought in the solutions. Inclusive housing models like Independence Landing demonstrate that when communities invest in private-public partnerships committed to accessibility, opportunity, and independence, everyone benefits.<\/p>\n

\u00a0The more people who know about this work \u2014 and the possibilities it represents \u2014 the stronger our community becomes. Because people with developmental disabilities have always been here. The question is whether we are building communities where they can fully belong to, then, now, and always.<\/p>\n

\"Barby<\/p>\n

Barby Moro is executive director of Independence Landing, the Big Bend area\u2019s first and only affordable, permanent housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

JOIN THE CONVERSATION<\/p>\n

Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to\u00a0letters@tallahassee.com<\/a>. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at\u00a0Tallahassee.com\/Zing.<\/a>\u00a0Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"March 27, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and the 2026 theme \u2014 \u201cWe\u2019re…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":211038,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[64,592,593,2268,490,2270,96,2267,492,11029,370,11030,232,234,233,34],"class_list":{"0":"post-211037","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tallahassee","8":"tag-accessmetered","9":"tag-sstsopinion","10":"tag-sstsnopinion","11":"tag-tagassisted-living-long-term-care","12":"tag-taghousing-development","13":"tag-tagneurological-conditions","14":"tag-tagoverall-positive","15":"tag-tagpeople-society","16":"tag-tagreal-estate","17":"tag-tagseniors-retirement","18":"tag-tagsocial-issues-advocacy","19":"tag-tagsocial-services","20":"tag-tallahassee","21":"tag-tallahassee-headlines","22":"tag-tallahassee-news","23":"tag-typestory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211037"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211037\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}