WalletHub, an online financial research and survey organization, named Peoria one of the top cities in the nation in which to live for people with disabilities. In order to ease the process of finding the best place to live while managing a disability, WalletHub compared the 150 most populated U.S. cities across 21 key metrics. They range from the number of physicians per capita to the rate of employed people with disabilities.
Living with a Disability in Peoria (1=Best; 75=Avg.)
51st – Cost of Living
16th – Employment Rate for People with Disabilities
19th – % of the Population with Disabilities Below Poverty Level
19th – Housing Affordability
49th – % of Persons with Disabilities Living in the Area
40th – Number of Family and General Physicians per Capita
6th – Average Age of Buildings
20th – Percentage of Uninsured People
Now the City of Peoria is one of the first cities in the state of Arizona to develop an employment program for adults with disabilities to get city jobs.
“For these individuals, these jobs are often their first,” said Paula Considine, supervisor for the Group Supported Employment. “Giving them a positive experience with Peoria helps them to develop vital skills and become productive members of the community. The city values all employees and will not be paying these adults with sub-minimum wages. In fact, there are very few programs in the country that offer this model with salaries at these levels, but we hope more will follow once they learn about the impact it has.”
When searching for a new city to call home, most people share a common list of priorities — affordability, jobs, schools and attractions among them. But people with disabilities often have a larger list of considerations. Factors such as the accessibility of various facilities, the quality of health care and even the cleanliness of the air can take precedence over others. The availability of such elements allows them to play an important role in the community and make significant contributions to the economy.
“Through this program our disabled citizens will have access to meaningful jobs at a fair pay, they will be able to gain experience and independence, discover talents and grow into what they were made to be,” said Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat.
The city of Peoria has been recognized for offering a wide range of activities for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families/caregivers at the Peoria Community Center. The city was also honored for several programs, from after school programs to dances and parties as well as workshops for parents and an award-winning Special Olympics program, Team Peoria. One example of focus on individuals with disabilities in Peoria is the Rio Vista Recreation Center hand cycle program. Community Services acquired two adult hand cycles and one youth hand cycle for individuals with disabilities. These cycles are funded in part through a grant from the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority. The hand cycles can be checked out free of charge at Rio Vista Recreation Center for use on the trails around the park area.
In addition, the State Bar of Arizona recently awarded the City of Peoria with the 2015 Hon. John R. Sticht Excellence in Disabilities Accessibility Award. The award, which recognizes private and/or public legal employers for their efforts to improve access to the Arizona judicial system for persons with disabilities in the legal profession, is in recognition of Peoria as a municipal leader in developing and maintaining an accessible work environment and community for all Arizonans. In 2011 the Peoria Municipal Court was substantially expanded and reconstructed to include plenty of accessible parking, variable height counters for city clerks, push button building access, and appropriately labeled and designed handrails, ramps and workstations. In the courtroom, each workstation is accessible via a ramp and the juror seating area is wheelchair accessible.
Recent renovations at the Peoria Sports Complex included greater access to seating, restrooms, the field, vendors, and other amenities for the disabled. The stadium has more than 200 wheelchair seats available with unobstructed views of the field and a wide ramp provides access to seats, gift shop and the field.
“More people are discovering our secret – Peoria is a great place to live, work and play,” said Mayor Carlat, “We constantly evaluate and improve amenities and quality of life for all residents.”