Richard works part time at a local lumber yard and can bike to work from his new home. His new home, a condo five minutes from his parent's home, has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fireplace. Because of the proliferation of condominium construction during New Hampshire's real estate boom, Richard was able to take advantage of a good property that had been on the market long enough for the price to begin to drop. Due to a birth injury, Rich cannot read or write and takes medication to prevent seizures. The fact that his home has two bedrooms allows Richard to have a live-in support person to help him take medication, prepare meals and attend to daily tasks. " We share everything " says Rich, "We share the cleaning, the cooking and we do shopping together."
Rich's parents have been actively involved in his life and in the Home of Your Own Project, serving on the steering commmitte and presenting at several forums. "We thought it was only fair for Rich to become as independent as possible, now that his brother and sister are off living their own lives," says Rich's dad, Richard Sr. His parents had planned for him to sleep over at their house several nights a week until he got used to his new home. Richard scrapped the planning team's elaborate transition plan on his moving day. " It is my house, I own it, " he said. While he lived at home, Richard was not eligible for a number of benefits that he is entitled to by living on his own. Like many young people moving out of their familie's homes, twenty-nine year old Richard is learning to manage his time and his finances, and wants to increase his hours at work as he becomes more confident in his new home.
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