Life Enrichment Options Expands Housing for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The Searing House, a home for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (image courtesy of Life Enrichment Options)

Life Enrichment Options (LEO) has a 35-year history of advocating for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The need for IDD housing in Washington State is vast. A recent report to the legislature estimated 37,000 adults with IDD are facing housing insecurity in Washington, a trend resulting both from rising housing costs and the aging of caregivers.

In 2024, LEO applied to the ARCH Housing Trust Fund to acquire an existing group home in Issaquah—a longtime cornerstone of support for adults with IDD. For more than 20 years, the home’s private owners provided housing for adults with varying support needs. As the owners reached their mid-70s and prepared to sell, the owners wanted the property to continue serving the IDD community. LEO stepped forward to purchase the home and preserve it as four permanent low-income housing units for adults with IDD.

Public Funding Accelerates Expansion of IDD Housing

Recognizing the urgent need for housing the IDD community, ARCH, the Washington State Department of Commerce, King County, and the City of Issaquah all contributed funding to make the purchase possible. The project is the first recipient of funding from the Inclusive Housing Investment Pool (IHIP), established by the City of Issaquah using sales tax funds dedicated to affordable housing.

Within months of funds being awarded, the property has now become LEO’s sixth home for adults with IDD. In honor of longtime advocate Jiff Searing and his family, LEO renamed the home Searing House. Jiff has served on the LEO Board for more than 15 years and has been a tireless champion for the IDD community.

Issaquah Mayor Mary Lou Pauly praised the partnership, stating, “Issaquah is proud to partner with ARCH and other funders to purchase this private group family home and to add it to the growing inventory of Life Enrichment Options properties in Issaquah. I have known the residents of the Searing House for years and it is so fun to see the residents engage in our neighborhood activities and community opportunities available in this vibrant downtown, transit serviced neighborhood.”

Historically, LEO has self-funded or partnered with developers to construct new housing—an approach that, while effective, often takes years to complete. The Searing House represents LEO’s first acquisition using public funds, allowing for a faster expansion of housing for IDD adults. Given the success LEO had with acquiring Searing House, Peter Walters, LEO’s Grant and Administrative Manager, commented “We are continuing to pursue public funds to bring on more housing for IDD individuals to address the lack of IDD housing in our service area.”

The Searing House also marks another milestone: it is LEO’s first home to include residents with Housing Choice Vouchers (formerly Section 8). Under this arrangement, LEO serves as a King County Housing Authority Section 8 landlord, gaining valuable experience with a model they could potentially replicate in future homes.

LEO will host an open house on October 30 to celebrate the purchase of the Searing House. Residents, funders, staff, and community partners will come together to mark this important addition to housing options for adults with IDD in East King County. As Alyssa Midgley, LEO Executive Director, shared, “The affordable housing need for individuals with IDD is huge and LEO continues to answer the need one house at a time.”