In 1972, a group of young adults with physical disabilities and their families and friends started Independent Living for the Handicapped (ILH). Led by Beverly Price, ILH aimed to create accessible housing with support services. In 1974, ILH incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization in the District of Columbia. Initially, the Articles of Incorporation provided only for a Board of Directors, though a 1977 amendment provided for a voting membership, as well.

In 1977, through a major fundraiser at the British Embassy and a generous matching gift from the late John Savage (brother of Libbey Campbell of ILH), ILH bought a single-family residence at 4815 Chesapeake Street NW. Shortly afterwards, ILH obtained community development block grant funds to remodel and enlarge the house.

In 1983, ILH got a 202/8 loan from the United States Housing and Urban Development Department to build a 20-unit accessible apartment house at 1301 Belmont Street NW, which opened in November 1984. As required by HUD, ILH formed a new nonprofit corporation for the sole purpose of owning and operating the apartment building. The new corporation, Belmont Independent Living (BIL), consisted of a small, policy-making Board of Directors. The Directors hired a private company to manage the building in accordance with HUD rules. The ILH offices were located in the Belmont building in order to provide assistance and support services to the residents. That same year, ILH also signed the first of a series of contracts with the District of Columbia to provide residential services for people with disabilities who lived independently.

ILH formed a joint venture with MB Housing Foundation of Raleigh, NC and sought HUD loans to build additional apartments for people with disabilities. HUD approved two applications and two 30-unit garden apartment complexes were built as a result: Hickory Place Apartments in Charlotte, NC and Nettles Drive Apartments in Newport News, VA. Nonprofit corporations formed for the purpose of operation, “Accessible Apartments of Charlotte” and “Accessible Apartments of Newport News,” managed these locations.

In 1994, ILH determined it was no longer possible to keep the house at 4815 Chesapeake Street open. ILH placed the house on the market, but did not find a buyer immediately. The next year, ILH rented the house to the Joseph P. Kennedy Institute with the option to buy when HUD funds became available. The Kennedy Institute eventually bought the house and operated it as a group residence.

In 1995, the organization changed the name of 1301 Belmont to “Christopher Price House” in memory of Bill and Beverly Price’s late son.