Key Takeaways:
- HOPE NC has opened three supportive housing pilots for adults with disabilities in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.
- The nonprofit wants to help other organizations replicate the model across North Carolina.
- State officials have acknowledged the need for better housing options but say they lack resources.
By Taylor Knopf
When John Pendzich, 27, moved out of a group home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and into his studio apartment in downtown Raleigh, his life opened up.
He got a job bagging groceries at Harris Teeter. There’s a YMCA around the corner where he likes to work out. He enjoys daily walks through the neighborhood around Hillsborough Street; he sometimes stops at Char Grill for a burger or at Morgan Street Food Hall…