Housing initiative helps people on autism spectrum live independently in Vancouver

Taryn Batchelorsays she loves having her own living space, spending time with her friends and exploring new restaurantsaround her Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

"I like all my friends.It's nice to have them in the building,"Batchelorsaid.

Batchelor, 30, who has autism, is talking about livingatthe Aspen, an apartment building on East 6th Avenue and Main Street in Vancouver.

She's able to live there because of apartnership between Catalyst Community Developments and PALS AdultServices Society (PASS)Housing.

John McCulloch, board chair of PASS a non-profit thatprovidesdaily programs and independent housing for adults with autism spectrum disorder says Catalyst allocated unitsfor 16 adults living with autism and other developmental disabilities so they could live independentlyand be part of the community.

He says to his knowledge, it'sthe first program of its kind in Canada.

He says the organization first approached the developer in late 2019 to come up with an agreement that would make it easier for adults on the autism spectrum to access housing.

McCullochsays the units are either two or three bedrooms so the adults can live with a roommate or caregiver. He says the two-bedroom unitcosts $1,600 per month and the three-bedroom goes for $1,850, adding that tenants with the program receive subsidies for housing costs.

He saidit was important for the units to be dispersed throughout the building so the residents could integrate with the community.

"That was the key to the whole idea was not to make thisexclusionary in any way or segregatedin any way," McCulloch said.

Batchelorrecently moved to Vancouver from Surrey to be closer to her workplace, Kerrisdale Lumber.

Her parents, Berniand Butch Batchelor, say living in the apartment has allowed Taryn to gain a newfound sense of independence.

"I could cry when I hear she's doing this, she's going there," Berni Batchelor said. "It makes me want to cry because we are so fortunate."

The Batchelorssay their main concern has always been where their daughter would live once they were gone.

"We have an answer to that now and it's here," said ButchBatchelor, referring to the apartment complex.

McCullochsays in order to qualify, adults must be living with autism or other developmental disabilities. He adds that once they become a tenant at the Aspen, they can stay for life.

More units to come?

McCulloch saidthere is a longwait-list for units andthey are working with five other developers to try to allocate more units for people with autism and developmental disabilities around Metro Vancouver.

"In the next two to three years, we'd like to do this three or four more times if we can,"McCullochsaid.

Paul Gauthier, executive director at the Individualized Funding Resource Centre Society, also helps people with disabilities find housing and says theorganization has a wait list of over 100 people looking for accessible housing.

Heurges developers to create more affordable and accessible housing for people with disabilities.

"Once you have a person with a disability that ends up in one of your units, they stay for a very long period of time. So you don't have turnover ... you usually have a very good tenant as well,"Gauthiersaid.