Another group home for the disabled is in the early planning stages, and First Selectman Rudy Marconi has a town-owned site on Prospect Ridge where he can envision two, eventually.
“People with disabilities who live in Ridgefield have little in the way of options with respect to housing, and in most cases end up living with their parents,” Mr. Marconi said.
“With the baby boomers moving into the age of retirement, baby boomers with handicaps and disabilities, as well, are a very large number, and we need to begin thinking and addressing that issue.”
Two nonprofit organizations operate group homes in town now, each with six residents, Mr. Marconi said. Ability Beyond Disability has a home on Ritch Drive, and there’s Sunrise Cottage on Sunset Lane.
Mr. Marconi said he’s had talks and is interested in collaborating with both organizations.
“We had looked at this possibility several years ago, to use a piece of property over on Halpin Lane where a lot of the housing is, and to build one, maybe two houses — nice homes, conventional, small, not large.”
The site the first selectman has in mind is at the corner of Prospect Ridge and Halpin Lane, across from the softball field where the men’s and women’s leagues play.
“It’s about a half-acre of land,” he said.
“Ability Beyond Disability is ready to move,” Mr. Marconi told the Board of Selectmen. “They’re ready to build a house there.”
Danielle Hundt of Ability Beyond Disability’s development department confirmed this week that the group was talking to Ridgefield officials.
“We’re in the early stages of discussion with the first selectman and the town,” she said.
“I know there are next-step meetings that have been scheduled about the potential for another group home in Ridgefield,” she said.
“Obviously, we’re very excited about the prospect of developing another home in Ridgefield,” Ms. Hundt said. “We have a great relationship with the town.”
The organization, which has provided employment services for people with disabilities since 1953 and opened its first group home in 1968, is headquartered in Bethel and Mt. Kisco, N.Y. It serves about 1,500 people a year, with disabilities ranging from physical handicaps to brain injuries to autism and mental illness. It has more than 100 residences and provides services ranging from transportation to employment training and support.
Mr. Marconi mentioned the idea of a group home or two on Prospect Ridge to the Board of Selectmen at its last meeting, and later elaborated in an interview.
“Both Sunrise Cottage and Ability Beyond Disability have asked about the possibility of housing in Ridgefield and that’s what this piece of property would be used for,” he said of the half-acre site.
Many groups that serve the disabled are struggling with, and worried about, further federal budget reductions as well as state belt-tightening.
“There’s less money available to commence a project like this,” Mr. Marconi said. “So Sunrise is continuing to ponder the possibility. Ability, on the other hand, is ready to move forward and would love to be able to do so.”
Still, he thinks the town could accommodate both organizations there — adjacent group homes might work well together, he said.
Mr. Marconi said he’s setting up joint meetings with Ability Beyond Disability’s representatives and Town Planner Betty Brosius to discuss “what zoning restriction there may or may not be, and understand what the parameters are for that piece of property.”
He thinks Ridgefield’s other selectmen will support a well-thought-out plan — although things aren’t that far along yet.
“We discussed it and the board seemed to be receptive,” Mr. Marconi said. “Everyone is, I believe, on board — I hope they are.”