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'Freedom Home' A National First For The Mobility Challenged

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By ART MCNEIL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 2, 2008

Following baseball great Yogi Berra's sage advice - "You can observe a lot of things if you just watch" - two Tampa residents volunteering on a committee noticed that disabled people, including many returning veterans, have been left out of community efforts to promote the development of affordable housing.

The chance meeting of Wally Dutcher and Michael Shrenk led eventually to a locally designed and built "Freedom Home," an innovative yet affordable single-family dwelling for people with special needs. Though these men appear to have little in common, they are both committed community contributors.

Wally, a quadriplegic since the mid 1950s, is a champion for the mobility challenged and a spokesman for the disabled. He teaches student architects, retrofits existing homes and advises government agencies.

Michael is CEO of New Millennial Homes, an award-winning Tampa Bay contractor specializing in the building of affordable detached housing. Mike recently helped Pinellas Habitat for Humanity resolve construction issues that allowed the volunteer organization to build 11 houses rather than its budgeted 10.

Michael's concern for people who use mobility devices is understandable. "As a young man, I broke my neck" he said. "There but for the grace of God go I."

The population of mobility-challenged residents in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties is significantly higher than the national average because many wounded veterans use the spinal cord injury center at James A. Haley VA Hospital. Also, our warm climate attracts a feisty breed of seniors set on remaining self-reliant as long as possible, even when mobility limitations become a factor for them.

Freedom Home meets the unique needs of both groups.

"Although it looks like a normal house, Freedom Home exceeds established guidelines and has been designed to evolve with the owner's changing requirements," said Ben Ritter, a director with the Gulf Coast Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America. "It's remarkably turnkey - just open the door and you can move in immediately.

Many of Mike's initial designs didn't work. "To make it special, you should move beyond functionality to enhancing the owner's lifestyle," Wally said. Each feature, appliance and structural suggestion was tested by people with mobility challenges. After two years of trial and error, a new standard has been met - a standard that is attracting community-oriented builders across the nation.

"Freedom Home is beautiful," Wally said. "It is life-enhancing, affordable and looks just like a normal house. Your universal design will allow any owner to live in Freedom Home regardless of infirmities, temporary or permanent, that may arise during the period of ownership."

A thoughtful feature is that the home can be altered at very little cost and sold as a regular house - giving owners the added security of being able to access more potential buyers when it's time to sell.

Art McNeil is a CEO think tank facilitator and executive coach with TEC Florida. He lives with his wife Mary Beth in South Tampa

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