GET INVOLVED
There are 3 main ways to get involved: Volunteer, Donate, Invest.
VOLUNTEER
We need VOLUNTEERS to help with fundraising, grant writing, blog writing and posting, land & property searches, and getting the word out to others that want to get involved. There will also be a need to organize social activities and develop training for our residents. If you have a skill you think would be of use, please contact us today!
DONATIONS
We need DONATIONS. All donations go straight to the cause. Currently, no one on the Valhalla Villas Board takes a salary and there are no paid staff – just volunteers. This means the full amount of your donation goes towards the purchase of land to build on, and towards the purchase of existing apartment complexes that can be converted to housing for autistic individuals. Donations will also be used to directly reduce the cost for housing and services for our residents.
INVESTORS
We need INVESTORS. Land and buildings don’t come cheap, but they do make for safe, secure investments! Our two main funding mechanisms will be private investments in existing apartment complexes, and the the sale of tax credits for ground-up developments.
Existing Apartment Complexes
For our integrated housing model, we will be purchasing existing apartment complexes and converting approximately 25% of the units into housing for autistic adults. This will be for people with higher functioning autism that do not necessarily need to, or wish to, live in a community that is exclusively for people with ASD. They will still have access to the same services as our exclusive communities, but 75% of the residents will be neurotypical. Because of this structure, there will be typical rental revenue from the residents. This means there is an opportunity for individuals to make a good return on their investments in this type of community. If you have a special needs child or grandchild, you could structure you investment in such a way that with time, the investment could pay for their housing costs (whether in this complex or another one). In time, there could be sufficient income from the investment to cover other costs as well – all depending on the investment amount, the timeframe and the property performance. To learn more, set up a call with Maria Zondervan, our Executive Director by clicking HERE.
Ground-Up Developments
Our communities that are exclusive to autistic individuals will be built from the ground-up. These projects receive millions of dollars worth of tax credits from the Housing Authority. We will be selling these tax credits to pay for the majority of the ground-up developments (price of the land is not covered by these, donations will cover that). If you or someone you know has the need for large tax savings, please contact us about buying tax credits at a reduced rate. We are typically looking for 1 large buyer per complex.
