Intunity opens first custom-built home for adults with disabilities in Memphis

Memphis nonprofit Intunity has opened its first custom-built home for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities at 3160 Pershing Avenue. The 1,700-square-foot house is designed to improve accessibility, safety and independence, while new grants could help fund more homes in Tennessee.

Why it matters: - Intunity says the home is a step toward more affordable, accessible housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in typical neighborhoods. - The project aims to support independence, safety and community inclusion for residents who often face limited housing options. - The opening could help expand a local model for disability housing beyond Memphis.

What happened: - Intunity celebrated the grand opening of its first custom-built home with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3160 Pershing Avenue in The Heights community in north Memphis. - The Memphis-based nonprofit built the 1,700-square-foot home for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. - The house has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. - The home was designed by LRK and built with volumetric modular construction by AERA Systems.

The details: - The home was built with accessibility, safety, energy efficiency and smart-home technology in mind. - Accessibility features include roll-under sinks, roll-in showers, wider hallways and turn radiuses, motion-sensor lighting and safety features integrated into appliances. - The home also includes energy-efficient systems and appliances, plus security technology and other smart-home features. - Intunity executive director Earle Schwarz said the home shows what can happen when a community comes together around a shared vision. - InDev board chair Ricky Heros said the homes are meant to create greater independence and belonging for people with disabilities.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a broader push to move disability housing away from isolated settings and into standard residential neighborhoods. - Modular construction helped make the building process significantly more efficient, showing one way specialized housing can be delivered faster. - Intunity’s model connects housing design directly to quality-of-life goals, not just physical accessibility. - The nonprofit credited a long list of partners and supporters, including the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, Tennessee Housing Development Agency, AERA Systems, ShareBuilt, RKA Construction, Countertops of Memphis, InDev, Thrive Nonprofit, United Housing Inc., BOR Customs, SimplyHome, Tri-State Fence Builders Association, Design Studios, Community Bank and Trust, Reedy & Company, ABO Marketing & Communications and Mary Day Consulting.

What's next: - Intunity recently received a $1 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging to help provide fully accommodated homes for more tenants. - The nonprofit also received a $536,974 Tennessee Housing Trust Fund grant from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. - Those grants will support new homes, including three planned in Jackson, Tennessee. - Intunity says it will keep expanding housing opportunities that help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live with greater independence, security and dignity. - More information is available at Intunity homes.

The bottom line: - Intunity’s first custom-built home turns a housing mission into a physical model the nonprofit can scale.