The first of its kind in Indiana, Fishers housing development will serve disabled

An affordable housing development with units set aside for the disabled opened its doors in Fishers on Friday.

The SouthPointe Village Apartments at 11245 Lantern Road is a four story building with 62 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Developer RealAmerica, of Indianapolis, said the development is the first of its kind in Indiana, with 25% of the units reserved for people with disabilities. The company is partnering with four organizations to provide services for the disabled at the site: Janus Developmental Services, Outside the Box, Insights, and Opportunities for Positive Growth. Janus will have an office on the first floor.

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Officials said the project not only addresses the need for affordable housing for the disabled but in general in Fishers and Hamilton County. Middle income and lower wage workers increasingly can't find places to live in the growing the suburb, officials said.

"This a a huge problem here, and, really, everywhere," said President and Owner of RealAmerica Ronda Shrewsbury. "With employment and population in Hamilton County rising drastically over the past several years, there has been a shortage of affordable, workforce housing for those that work and play in Fishers."

The apartments will be rented to people earning 30% to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). In Fishers that means single residents earning less than $45,000 a year. Rents will range from $356 to $1,090 for one bedroom and $429 to $1304 for two bedrooms.

The property and building will be accessible for the disabled, including raised and lowered garden beds, sidewalks around outdoor amenities, elevators and automatic doors on both ends of the building.

Twenty people moved in Friday as city officials and the company hosted an official ribbon cutting, Shrewsbury said.

"We've had strong advocacy for folks with disabilities, and we know that housing is a critical shortage for those individuals," Mayor Scott Fadness said in a news release.

The complex includes a fitness room, indoor playground, community room with a kitchen, community garden, bike share program, computer center and a dog park.

SouthPointe Village is the first of two affordable housing developments planned in Fishers. In February, the Fishers City Council narrowly approved construction of 11 low-income rental cottages at 141st Street and Cumberland Road, named Cumberland Cottages.

Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418. Email at john.tuohy@indystar.com and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

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