Mr. Rogers had some great advice, and while we may not have the perfect cardigan, we can act on some of his words.
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be
kind.”
When living with neighbors with just a hallway for separation, it can be the best of times, and sometimes…a difficult time.
Living independently with disabilities takes skill and resources. Apartment and Independent living isn’t about doing it all
alone—it’s about building the right support systems. Whether it’s a helpful neighbor, a local nonprofit, or a new budgeting
tip, every little bit helps make life not just manageable, but meaningful.
Some simple thoughts; Be the person that you’d like to live next door to, whether your neighbors are other tenants in the
same building or people who live in adjacent homes. Part of being a good neighbor, is about residing in your home in such
a way that it doesn’t interfere with anyone else.
Keep your music at a reasonable level, be mindful of doing your part to keep common areas clean, offer help to others
when you can, and keep informed of events, requirements, and perks by connecting with your property manager.
Do make it your own:
Just because it’s a rental doesn’t mean it can’t feel like home. Make the most of apartment living by putting your own
personality into your unit. Display things that make you happy, pictures of friends and family. Use photos and frames
creatively to keep the walls from looking too bare, and add a large rug or other floor covering to switch things up. You can
save a lot of space with cheap household products , like command hooks, bed risers, over-the- door storage racks ,
tension rods for under the counter cleaning supplies.
And, to point to what’s on trend, let’s embrace ‘the life changing magic of tidying up’. It’s free, and freeing. And…it’s
spring. Bring on the cleaning!
Don’t wait to report maintenance issues
Report issues with your water, electricity, heating/cooling, and pests as soon as it happens. We will do our best to get
things back to normal as soon as possible.
Know Your Rights.
At UNPHC we are diligent in following Utah law and going above and beyond to create a safe and pleasing living
environment. Nevertheless, it’s always smart to be aware of your rights as a tenant.
Living Independently with a disability doesn’t mean living without choices. Utah offers many services that support your
independence, housing, employment, and daily living needs.
We wish you good health and much happiness.
MARCH
RESOURCES
A few more resources for our UNPHC EdX topic of the month: Apartment & Independent Living
Tenants Rights:
Below are links to help you understand your rights as a tenant in Utah, including
groups to join, and ways to create change in your housing community:
www.hud.gov
www.utahlegalservices.org
www.utahhousing.org
FoodSense (easy meals for one, and shopping on a budget):
https://Extentsion.usu.edu/foodsense/
Independent Living when Differently-Abled:
www.turncommunityservices.org
Utah Independent Living Center: Assisting people with disabilities to become more
independent! A non-residential agency serving Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele Counties:
https://uilc.org/en/
