Solon Community Living (SCL) is a unique, collaborative, ideally located neighborhood with supports for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). SCL implements a person-centered approach that engages direct care and support professionals to help residents have a full life and a long-term living option.
SCL is a braided community which allows residents, their families, and care staff to work together to encourage choice and self-determination. Designed as a pocket neighborhood, all the homes and the community clubhouse face each other around a common green space.
Solon Community Living is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, founded by parents of children with disabilities, with a board of directors and over 30 volunteers.
Solon Community Living considers not only the residents’ housing needs, but also their care and engagement, leading to increased personal development and growth.
Based on the unique “pocket neighborhood” concept, all homes face a common green space so residents can safely enjoy the outdoors and interact with their neighbors. Residents can choose to enjoy their personal living space or take advantage of the community building and public areas.
SCL is also providing four on-site suites situated upstairs from residents’ homes to house caregivers. This will create a more stable, affordable lifestyle for these important professionals, resulting in less turnover and consistent, quality care for residents.
Additionally, our EEE programming (Education, Entertainment and Enrichment) will provide personalized activities and learning opportunities based on the individual preferences of the residents, families and caregivers associated with SCL. For example, some residents may enjoy sports while others are more artistically inclined. Our Community Director will oversee coordination of these activities so that everyone is included.
View the Lifestyle/Solon Community page here.
Solon Community Living is designed to be inclusive for people with a range of abilities, interests, and support needs. Our homes are single level to accommodate different mobility levels.
Our model is based on the participation of not just the resident, but their family as well. Engagement is necessary to build a community, so family involvement will be encouraged, valued, and expected, throughout the transition process, and beyond.
More information is on our Residency Requirements page.
Our application process is intended to be thorough. Our Admissions Committee has expertise in developmental disabilities, education, medicine, care planning, law, finance, and behavioral intervention.
- Start by filling out the brief Statement of Interest. This short form tells us how to contact you to set up a call or meeting to explain the model in more detail and make sure SCL is a good fit. The Statement of Interest is no-obligation and is NOT an application for residency.
- Review webinar information. After the initial contact, you will receive an email link to several webinar recordings discussing legal, financial, Medicaid waivers and other planning topics. If you choose to apply for residency, this email will also contain a link to the online application.
- Complete online application. Our HIPAA-compliant, confidential application asks for information and uploaded files pertaining to the potential resident. The submitted application is reviewed by our Admissions Committee. Also, a family interview with our Community Director and another member of the committee will be scheduled. After the interview, the Admissions Committee makes an acceptance decision.
- Financial Review. Once accepted, you’ll receive a link to our HIPAA-compliant, confidential financial review. You will be asked questions about your finances and will have to upload pertinent documents. This is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project for all residents in the community. Financial information is kept private and is reviewed by an independent team of financial/legal advisors. If the review is satisfactory, you will be given the Community Member Agreement to review and sign to welcome your loved one as a resident of Solon Community Living!
- Family Transition Planning. You will then join the other neighborhood families to learn about the transition process to live at SCL. This initiative is led by our community director and a trauma informed behavior specialist. These meetings are designed to connect families with resources in the local community, including the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Lifelong care planning for an individual with a disability is complicated, but these meetings provide families with indispensable knowledge.
It is important to note that Solon Community Living is not a direct service provider. Families are responsible for arranging the primary, direct care for their loved one. What Solon Community Living does offer is a second level of staffing — two Resident Assistants (RAs) and a Community Director accessible 24/7 — available to step in to provide an extra level of security and oversight.
View Our Model page here.
Four buildings and the clubhouse will be completed by spring 2024. The remaining homes are scheduled for construction soon after, pending building timelines.
There are many reasons — the accepting community, accessibility to shopping, recreation, parks, and other amenities – that make the location a great choice for us. Residents will belong to the Solon Community Living neighborhood but will also be part of the community-at-large. We have felt a true embrace from the city – the encouraging comments from city leadership, as well as over 80% of the voters passing the special zoning needed to allow this project to move forward.
View the Lifestyle/Solon Community page here.
We set out to create a better long-term housing option for families and their loved ones with disabilities after seven years of research looking at different operating scenarios. By comparing the pros and cons of other models, we feel that Solon Community Living is the best way to combine support to the resident with a quality living environment.
We are also addressing the caregiver crisis by providing on-site housing to create a stable environment for both staff and residents.
View Our Model page here.
We have a community handbook that will be provided to all families prior to signing a residency contract. The guidelines are to ensure a safe, comfortable, and respectful environment for the entire neighborhood.
Visit the Our Model page to see a list of what is included. More detailed costs can be shared once a Statement of Interest has been completed and an information meeting scheduled.
Take the first step by filling out our brief Statement of Interest. If there’s a specific question, you can contact our Community Director, Logan Andress at [email protected].
