By Lori EhdeThe future looks bright for Rock County’s Developmental Achievement Center in Luverne. Just four years ago, the local employer of disabled adults completed a major remodeling and expansion that allowed for improved working space. Next month, the DAC will complete work on a 2,300-square-foot residential home for four disabled adults: and this spring a similar home is planned near the new hospital.DAC director Dorothy Darveaux offered a tour to County Commissioners of the first home nearing completion just west of the DAC work site.This house is designed for wheelchair accessibility, with extra wide doors, low-placed light switches, specialized door handles, a roll-in accessible shower and a kitchen designed for wheelchair users.A private patio deck views a shaded yard on the northeast side, and a whirlpool Jacuzzi tub will be part of physical therapy for occupants.A 26-by-30 garage will accommodate two vehicles for the individuals living there.Key to independenceThe house is built for four people.Two residents moving in April 15 are currently employed at the DAC work site, and they would be able to either walk or use wheelchairs to get between locations when the weather is favorable.For disabled adults who need accessible housing, the development of such housing options is key if they wish to live and work in Luverne."This may give people with physical challenges the opportunity to be gainfully employed in this community," Darveaux said, adding that for others, the home simply offers more independence."Certain individuals may be able to live semi-independently but require personal care supports such as help getting in and out of bed, meal preparation, specialized medical services in the home, and personal hygiene assistance cares."While it’s handy for DAC workers to live in the house, it’s not built exclusively for DAC workers.The home’s future occupants may or may not work at DAC. Two of the home’s future residents currently live in Rock County. One person will move from a nursing home placement to this less restrictive placement and another individual will be moving from a family home. The accessible home will be staffed 24 hours a day by direct support health professionals to help with medical needs and all basic living needs.Persons with disabilities may work in other jobs around town and not just in the DAC sheltered workshop jobs. Many Luverne businesses currently employ persons with disabilities as either individuals or as part of DAC enclaves. For persons with barriers to both independent living and independent employment, local services may provide first-time independence from living with either their parents or other family members. At the same time, local services support those family members who may have cared for their adult family member at home and who now are in need of a residential service to help them with long-term care.Reinvesting in the communityThe $170,000 home was funded mostly through DAC cash reserves and through donations set aside specifically for this project."We saved, and we sat on the property purchased for several years; now we’re investing that money back into the community," Darveaux said Friday.According to Brenda Meyer, regional director of Habilitative Services Inc., the community benefits more ways than one from the housing venture."This house alone will employ 16 to 20 people making a minimum of $8.50 per hour," she said."It’s amazing how this all brings dollars into the community."She said DAC took the initiative in building the house, but HSI will manage the services. It will hire the staff and oversee the needs of the individuals living in the house."DAC will essentially become our landlord," Meyer said. "It will be a landlord-tenant relationship."HSI currently manages four other homes in Luverne for adults with developmental disabilities, but the new housing is licensed specifically for adult foster care.Meyer said, "It’s for people with adult-onset phsyical and/or mental disability caused by accident, illness or disease."A model statewideThe Rock County DAC’s foray into home building is putting Luverne on the map among statewide HSI professionals and Day Treatment and Habilitation (DT and H) professionals.Many communities provide housing for disabled adults, typically retrofitting existing housing.Rock County DAC is now custom-building homes for disabled adults."This is new to DT&H people," Darveaux said. "The state is watching us very closely to see how this works out for us. We’re becoming a role model in this area."She said there isn’t much incentive for developers to build homes for disabled adults"But we have incentive to build clientele," Darveaux said. "It’s a logical diversification for the DAC to invest in quality accessible housing."The second DAC house breaks ground this spring near the new hospital. That one will be custom-built for three young men in town who have outgrown the house that served them in boyhood."They have high medical needs, and the house will have a nurses’ station built right into it," Darveaux said. "It’s being built to meet their special needs."Because physical therapy plays a big role in meeting their medical needs, the house will be a bit larger than the west-side home to accommodate for large muscle development and exercise room therapies.Dale McClure is the general contractor for both houses.County Commissioner Ron Boyenga praised Darveaux and the DAC for their efforts to improve housing for disabled adults."I give a lot of credit to Dorothy," he said after Friday’s tour. "She’s done a tremendous job on this."Darveaux said it’s satisfying to create something that will benefit so many people."It’s exciting work, and it’s very gratifying to see it come to fruition," she said.