Expansion of Housing for People with Disabilities

1. Expansion of Housing for People with Disabilities Report to the Centers for Independent Living on Current Issues, Opportunities, and Activities November 4, 2009

2. Disability Commission Housing Work Group: Builds collaboration and systems education across various agencies, organizations and constituents creating opportunities and joint efforts to expand the availability, accessibility and choice in housing for people with disabilities. FOCUS: Sensory and physical disabilities, all ages Olmstead Implementation Team Housing Small Group: Annually updates the housing portion of the Cross-Governmental Strategic Plan to Assure Continued Community Integration for Virginians with Disabilities for submission to Governor, focusing on accessibility, affordability and availability of housing FOCUS: All disabilities, all ages; those in institutions and at risk of entering institutions MFP Housing Task Force Work Group: Monitors implementation of MFP Annual Housing Action Plan and reports semi-annually to the Secretaries of HHR and Commerce and Trade; Annual Action Plan contains strategies relating to accessibility, affordability and availability of housing FOCUS: All disabilities, all ages; those leaving institutions for the community

3. Disability Commission Housing Work Group: Governor’s Advisor VHDA DHCD VBPD OCI DBHDS HUD-Richmond DRS CILs (Sandra Cowles) CSBs DLS Olmstead Implementation Team Housing Small Group: Governor’s Advisor VHDA DHCD VBPD OCI DBHDS VACIL (Maureen Hollowell) Fair Housing Office CI Advisory Commission MFP Housing Task Force Work Group: Governor’s Advisor VHDA DHCD VBPD OCI DBHDS Fair Housing Office CI Advisory Commission HUD-Richmond DRS CILs (Maureen Hollowell) CSBs DMAS DSS VDA AAAs

4. Disability Commission Housing Work Group HOUSING EXPANSION TASK FORCE Olmstead Housing Team Group MFP Housing Task Force Work Group

5. Why the Merger? • Expands the information available to each work group • Avoids duplication of effort • Saves agency costs • Permits increased and sharper focus on issues common to each group • Provides more integrated and cohesive pathway for housing planning for individuals with disabilities in both the Executive and Legislative branches

6. Task Force Approach to the Work • Meets at 1:00 p.m., first Thursday of September-November and March-June, at General Assembly Building • Work Plan adopted through 11/10 • Reviews current federal, state and local issues/opportunities • Develops presentations to Disability Commission • Updates Olmstead Strategic Plan housing strategies • Assists in compiling MFP Housing Report to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and semi-annual MFP Annual Action Plan reports to Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Commerce and Trade • Special invited guest at each meeting: • Homebuilders Association (August) • Housing Opportunities Made Equal (September) • Apartment Management Association (October)

7. Current Issues and Opportunities:Work Required on All Levels! • Non-Elderly Disability Vouchers • Federal: HUD funds, issued Comment NOFA, and will issue Final NOFA • State: Governor wrote to Virginia PHAs; VHDA to make all vouchers received available to MFP participants • Local: CILs working with PHAs to make them aware of upcoming NOFA, encourage application for vouchers, gather data • Unlocking Doors Initiative • Federal: HUD sponsors • State: OCI working with others to develop plans for Information Fair • Local: RIL and other local agencies to participate in Information Fair • Section 202 and 811 Funding • Federal: HUD makes funds available • State: Receives a share • Local: 55 Section 202 units and 14 Section 811 units will be constructed • Consolidated Plans • Federal: HUD sets requirements and provides funding • State: DHCD develops plan for rest of state • Local: Entitlement Jurisdictions develop local plans; CILs review plans and provide comments

8. Current Issues and Opportunities, cont’d:Work Required on All Levels! • Money Follows the Person (MFP) • Federal: CMS provides 75% of first 12 months Waiver funding and sets requirements such as definition of “qualified residence” • State: Provides 25% of funding; DMAS administers; State agencies worked with special Task Force to develop and report on Annual Housing Action Plan; DHCD provided funding for supplemental home modifications and bridge rent • Local: CILswork with PHAs on housing needs; CILsand other local agencies assist people to find housing and transition • Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan • Federal: IRS allocates a specific dollar amount of LIHTC to each state • State: VHDA awards these tax credits to specific affordable housing projects proposed by developers who must agree to meet LIHTC “affordability” requirements for a 15-year compliance period • Local: Developers use tax credits for new construction of rental housing or rehabilitation of existing housing

9. Other Current Issues and Opportunities • Statewide Web-Based Housing Resources • http://VirginiaHousingSearch.com • http://easyaccess.virginia.gov Housing Page • MFP Housing and Transportation Resource Bank: www.olmsteadva.com/mfp DBHDS’ Housing Study • Auxiliary Grant Portability • Adult Foster Care • Governor’s Housing Conference

10. Olmstead Strategic Plan:Housing Accessibility Highlights • Promote Universal and EasyLiving Home Design • Support the work of the SILC and CILs to educate the housing community on the accessibility needs of people with disabilities • Develop recommendations to address Section 504 compliance issues • Assist the disability and aging communities to work together to educate decision-makers on the need for accessible housing options for older adults and individuals with disabilities

11. Olmstead Strategic Plan:Housing Affordability Highlights • Work with VBPD, VHDA, DHCD, the SILC and the Disability Commission to develop and fund a mechanism for collecting statewide annual data • Evaluate the need for additional program subsidies to increase affordability • Preserve affordable, accessible housing where it exists • Encourage development of affordable housing where it does not exist

12. Olmstead Strategic Plan:Housing Availability Highlights • Support the work of the CILs to review comprehensive plans to evaluate data that addresses issues of accessibility, affordability, and availability • Expand outreach/promote awareness of existing financial and capacity building resources • Provide training--NIMBYISM/Fair Housing • Work with the SILC and CILs to educate individuals with disabilities and disability advocates about the obligations of builders and developers.

13. QUESTIONS?