This is just the first of several similar places that are planned.
Myers Place opened with 39 individuals who were eager to have their own pad within the community.
Karen Wisniewski, Mark Mester and Brian Geyer moved into Myers Place this summer.
"I like the place. It's always the greatest place that I've ever been to. I used to live in Elk Grove Village in a TLP program, said Karen.
"It provides a wonderful opportunity for people like me to be independent and to have the dignity of living on my own," Mark said.
"I love the place. I love the groups that we have. We have groups on Monday and Wednesday," said Brian.
The apartment complex is a $13.1 million development that has 18 studios and 21 one-bedrooms. It also includes an activity room and caseworker available to assist the tenants.
Myers Place is part of a community-based mental health agency called Kenneth Young Center.
"One of the things we felt we were missing was a permanent resident opportunity for people with disabilities. We're not talking about group homes or aggregate dining or anything we talking about apartments where people live separately and have their own lives just like anybody else," said CEO Mitch Bruski. "Most of them are subsidized by the Housing authority of Cook Country. They are for people who have low income and have diagnosed disability."
This is just the beginning. There are hundreds of people with mental illness in the northwest suburbs on a waiting list.
" There will be a second project going up in Wheeling, and we have a couple others planned, as well. They are not easy to do in terms of getting permission. So, that's what we're up against," said Bruski.
In the meantime, residents of Myers Place are not only enjoying their apartment but their independence, as well
"It's very comfortable, and I feel very safe, and I couldn't ask for anything more," Mark said.
To learn more about Kenneth Young Center and their housing program go to www.kennethyoung.org.
