Accessible Space, Inc. broke ground for our first five homes in 1980. Today we have over 100 townhomes, apartment buildings and cooperative homes providing comfortable living accommodations to consumers. What are the typical steps to bring a new building into existence?

1. Determination of Need: Local groups or consumers and their families often request that we construct a building in their city or state. ASI also stays alert for areas where we have long waiting lists for existing ASI apartments, which would signify a need for more accessible, affordable housing. At this stage, ASI works with many local resources, private and government.

    

2. Finding/Securing Land: Land must be affordable, zoned appropriately (or available for rezoning) and the right size. We look closely at location. Is it convenient for adults with disabilities and/or seniors—i.e., close to a bus stop, medical clinics and shopping? The land must now be approved and confirmed by the city or county. We check soil samples and assure that there are no issues with historic preservation. During this phase, ASI works with local sources such as realtors, city and county zoning administrators, inspectors, surveyors, local partners and sponsors, etc…

    

3. The Application: A team of ASI staff members assembling a funding application to be submitted to the appropriate regional office of HUD. The application contains information on the sponsor, the developer and management agent. In many cases, ASI is all three! Financial and historical information is also required. The paper application is about five inches thick when assembled. It is scanned and submitted electronically to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) but it’s not a real project until approved by HUD.

    

4. The Wait: Each fall/early winter HUD announces which projects will receive funding for development/construction and rental assistance (subsidies). Historically, approximately 75% of all ASI funding requests receive funding their first year of submission.

    

5. More Paperwork: ASI assembles another document called a Firm Commitment Application, which demonstrates that we have our “ducks in a row”, and that the costs of construction are not higher than the total funding we’ve secured. ASI typically needs to secure outside supplemental funding from multiple sources (state housing finance agencies, City/County HOME CDBG funds, federal housing programs, etc.).

    

6. Predevelopment: ASI secures an architect to design the building. Plans must be approved by the city, county and HUD. The timeline to assemble the Firm Commitment and complete the predevelopment work can take anywhere from one to three or more years!

    

7. Firm Commitment Approval: If HUD approves the Firm Commitment Application, ASI legal department staff and HUD representatives attend an Initial Closing to sign all of the necessary documents.

    

8. Construction Starts: Construction must start within 10 days of Initial Closing. It can take between eight and 12 months to complete construction and receive two highly coveted documents: the City Certificate of Occupancy and a HUD Permission to Occupy.

    

9. Move-in: ASI Property Management staff begins marketing the property about six months before completion of the site. The common areas of the building are furnished and decorated. The goal is to have approved applicants move in within 60 days of completion.