We have land!
40 acres off N 50 W in Tippecanoe County
The Tippecanoe County Commissioners have given an in-kind donation of land to OASIS Community, a local non-profit which is on a mission to create and maintain an inclusive, safe, person-centered living community for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) where each person can grow and enjoy life.
“Our community is in need of a residential community like OASIS,” shares Tom Murtaugh, Tippecanoe County Commissioner. “Over 50% of adults with IDD remain in their family home due to the extreme shortages in living and social options. Offering land where the OASIS community could be built felt like a step in the right direction.”
“This gift helps move the dream one-step further,” explains Rob Eyman, president of the board of OASIS Community. “Our story began in 2020 with three families contemplating the future for their sons. Now, we have a site plan in the works, with a plan to break ground in 2025.”
The site sits behind Burnett Creek Elementary School near West Lafayette. The OASIS Community will be a gated neighborhood of individual, privately owned and accessible homes, duplexes and quadplexes situated around shared community green space that includes walking paths and outdoor recreation. While the majority of residents will be adults with IDD, others will be neurotypical adults and families, living there as supportive neighbors. The community will include an enrichment center for education and social gatherings. Future plans include an accessible playground for the entire area.
“The TSC looks forward to welcoming the OASIS Community to the neighborhood,” shares Dr. Scott Hanback, Superintendent of Tippecanoe School Corporation. “The proximity to our schools in that area provides countless opportunities for building unique partnership experiences between our students and the residents of the OASIS Community.”
Members of the IDD community have limited residential options: they may continue to live in the family home, reside in assisted living housing or pair with a small number of individuals and live in waiver homes scattered within residential communities. While these options meet the need for safety, they often lack social opportunities which can lead to the isolation of individuals who want nothing more than to have friends and live within an active community.
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