In my short time with Knox Housing Partnership as their HomeOwnership Center Manager, I have had the opportunity to meet some pretty incredible people. I wanted to write a bit about one of those instances and how it changed my way of thinking.
Taylor Hays
Sometimes a new experience can change your outlook on life. I had the opportunity to tour one of the homes that Knox Housing Partnership has built with a potential buyer and my Executive Director/Broker, Jackie Mayo. This particular home, located at 2106 Ohio Avenue, is the first of our Universal Design homes that are fully accessible, designed for individuals with mobility issues. The gentleman who was touring utilizes a motorized wheelchair and had never been inside a home designed this way.
Needless to say he was very impressed, and while touring with him, I got to see how simple design cues could have a real impact on someone’s life. Many people, myself included, take for granted those things we see as normal day-to-day activities that we give little thought to. Reaching a dish up in a cabinet, turning around in the shower to wash your back, or simply being able to walk through a doorway unimpeded are all normal daily tasks for most of us, but for the mobility challenged, these things take planning and forethought. Seemingly simple things like zero-step entryways, wider doorways, lower cabinets and countertops, and space for turning around in an electric wheelchair can have an enormous positive impact on those individuals who need them.
Our Universal Design home is the first of two listings by our new real estate company, Tennessee Valley Realty. The other is located at 6008 Atkins Road, and is a beautiful new construction nestled in a country setting. You can find photos of the Atkins Road home on KHP’s website and a video tour on our YouTube channel.
I am very proud to be a part of Knox Housing Partnership and Tennessee Valley Realty. Please visit our website at www.khp.org to find out more about Knox Housing Partnership, Tennessee Valley Realty, our Universal Design Home and the other homes we build/renovate. You can also find us on Facebook and YouTube.