Above: Keith Steward, 55, helps his son Jacob Steward, 20, move into his apartment in Lithia Place in Medford. (Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell)At age 35, Jason Papendick is moving into his first apartment.
"I like it," he said. "I'm going to get a Christmas tree in here."
With his own bathroom and plenty of space for new furniture, the pristine dwelling stands in sharp contrast to an old, two-story home a few blocks away where Papendick lived with several roommates — all developmentally disabled. The 15-unit complex, dubbed Lithia Place, promotes independent living for the disabled while still giving them 24-hour support.
"Normally, people like Jason wouldn't be able to have their own apartment," said Amber Robles, a job coach for Living Opportunities, a local nonprofit organization.
The new apartments on Beatty Street in Medford are open to anyone who qualifies for low-income housing. Rents between $430 and $517 are expected to be subsidized further in January, said Roger Hassenpflug, chief executive officer of Living Opportunities.
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"Our long-term dream is that it's an integrated project," he said.
The arrangement is ideal for 20-year-old Jacob Steward, who also lived in a Living Opportunities group home but now wants more freedom. Steward's father, Keith Steward, of Lakeview, said he harbors no fears about his developmentally disabled son living in his own apartment and only hopes Jacob can adapt to being out in the general public more often.
"He'll have more independence, but they'll be supervised," Steward said.
Jacob Steward, Papendick and other residents will benefit from on-site staff who will teach them life skills, such as managing finances, medical needs and transportation. Residents likely will gather with Living Opportunities employees in individual apartment kitchens to practice preparing their own meals.
Completed last month, the complex is a partnership with OnTrack Inc., a nonprofit Medford center for treating substance abuse. A dozen grants funded the lion's share of the $7.5 million project, and tax credits encouraged private funding, Hassenpflug said.
Living Opportunities demolished an old group home to make way for construction. The organization also purchased an adjoining lot from Lithia Motors Inc., which donated back a portion of the purchase price, Hassenpflug said.
The dual-agency venture — known as Living OnTrack — also owns Sky Vista, a 48-unit complex that opened about a month ago at Medford's Stewart Avenue and Orchard Home Drive. The project serves those earning 30 to 50 percent of the median income and ideally will house clients of both Living Opportunities and OnTrack, as well as any low-income renter that qualifies, said OnTrack Executive Director Rita Sullivan.
"We could better serve the two populations by collaboration," Sullivan said.
Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail slemon@mailtribune.com.
