THE VILLAGES AT A NEW LEAF
The Villages at A New Leaf in Owasso, OK won a 2022 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award in the Housing for Special Populations category.
The Villages at A New Leaf, co-developed by A New Leaf, Inc. and Excel Development Group, provides 62 affordable homes serving people with developmental disabilities and autism in Owasso, Oklahoma. The property is part of an “agrihood”, a type of planned community that integrates agriculture and farming into the residential neighborhood, and represents the first of its kind in Oklahoma. The 4 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) was used to finance the property, with financing facilitated by Midwest Housing Equity Group.
The property’s 62 homes are situated in 8 buildings around planting fields centered in the middle of the community. As a result of this property’s unique agricultural features, residents of The Villages at A New Leaf are not only provided with safe, stable, and affordable homes, but also with employment opportunities right onsite. As part of the property’s supportive services, A New Leaf provides vocational training to residents, allowing them the chance to work on the neighborhood’s farms, greenhouses, or various community sites. Job coaches and money management services are also provided to support residents in their journeys to financial stability and independence.
With an estimated 30,000 people in the Tulsa Metropolitan Area having developmental disabilities, and another 85 percent of those people experiencing unemployment, The Villages at A New Leaf provides critical opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn and cultivate work, communication, and interpersonal skills in a safe, supportive environment. Beyond having access to safe, stable, affordable homes, living at The Villages at A New Leaf gives residents access to the supportive care and community they deserve.
Congressional Recognition
Recognition from U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK)
Senator Lankford congratulated The Villages at A New Leaf, saying, “Now the nation is celebrating what Oklahomans already know, the Villages at A New Leaf are truly remarkable. Now located in Owasso and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, A New Leaf offers incredible housing, work, and learning opportunities for developmentally disabled adults. The folks I have met at A New Leaf—from the joyful clients, to the joyful, attentive, and hard-working staff—are clearly happy to have such a wonderful place to live and work. I am excited about the new opportunities A New Leaf brings to these communities and that they are being recognized with an Edson Award for their vital work.”
Senator Lankford also visited The Villages at A New Leaf on August 31, 2022. See pictures from his visit below.
