Housing

A new GAO report examined public housing developments occupied primarily by elderly persons and non-elderly persons with disabilities. Review the data on severely distressed housing and the ways in which such housing can be improved. This report examines the methods used to reduce the level of social distress and strategies to improve physical and social conditions.

This guide was prepared by Maine’s Work Group for Community-Based Living in response to the 1999 Olmstead Supreme Court decision. The work group submits this Roadmap as an interdepartmental approach for improving home and community services for people with disabilities. Section topics include: advocacy, integrated services, using data, service coordination, direct-care workers, improving quality, housing, transportation, and employment.

Access to affordable, accessible, and integrated housing within a community of choice has been identified as one of the primary barriers faced by persons with disabilities in West Virginia. Lack of housing has become a major barrier to successfully moving individuals from institutions to the community. This manual is intended to be a resource to assist individuals with understanding the complicated maze of systems that must be navigated to successfully own or rent a home or apartment.

This newly released biennial study verifies that low-income people with disabilities are experiencing a national housing affordability crisis. The Priced Out in 2004 study compares the monthly SSI income of more than 4 million Americans with disabilities to the fair market rental rates for efficiencies and modest one-bedroom apartments in every housing market in the country. Review more facts, figures and examples about housing and the national rent increases which greatly exceed SSI Benefits.

The Quality Choices for Maine project was conducted from 2001-2004. This report focuses on Access to Services, one part of the three-year RCSC Quality Grant. The specific housing related goal was “to improve access to community housing for people with disabilities of all types.” Project activities were overseen by the Access to Services Technical Assistance Group and a variety of stakeholders. Read the activity summaries, lessons learned and recommendations on how to sustain the work.

A new report finds that the Senate Appropriations Committee’s HUD funding bill would do a better job than the comparable House bill of repairing recent damage to the housing voucher program. The report shows how each of the bills would affect state and local housing agencies across the nation. There are differences between the two bills, however both would change the way voucher funds are divided among housing agencies and both would increase voucher funding for 2006.

This report describes the FY 2002 and FY 2003 Grantees’ challenges and progress using information provided by the Grantees during the reporting period October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2004. The report describes grant activities in four major LTC systems areas: Access to Long-Term Care Services and Supports, Services, Supports, and Housing, Administrative and Monitoring Infrastructure and Long-Term Care Service and Support Workforce

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to ending America’s affordable housing crisis. As a policy advocacy organization, the website offers the Latest News, Reports, Research and Resources about housing. The Coalition also produces a weekly newsletter, an advocate’s guide, and a monthly NIMBY Report. Visit the site today for information about their current campaigns including the Housing Plus Services program.

In recent years, there has been growing interest among different groups representing and serving persons with disabilities in providing more mainstream housing opportunities for this constituency. This HUD study finds that size plays a lesser role in project satisfaction than meeting disabled residents’ needs, preferences and requirements for supportive services.

This is the first in a series of classic information documents.