Advocating in Your Community
The Bay Area is facing a dire shortage of housing options for adults with ASD. One way to help increase the supply is to ensure local municipal General Plans provide for low-income housing directed at adults with developmental disabilities. General Plans should also explicitly allow for Adult Residential Facilities (group homes) and secondary units for dependent grown children.
Please consider advocating in front of your city's Housing Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council.
[Also, please click here for a sample letter advocating to Housing Authorities for priority HUD Section 8 Rental Vouchers for adults with developmental disabilities.
And please click here for the California Attorney General's letter to mayors regarding the need for reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities in all municipal housing plans.]
SAMPLE LETTER AND/OR TALKING POINTS TO YOUR LOCAL JURISDICTION
To: City Council, Mayor, Planning Commission, Housing Commission
From: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Re: The Need for Housing for Adults with Autism and Developmental Disabilities within our Jurisdiction
BACKGROUND
With California’s de-institutionalization of people with developmental disabilities beginning in the 1980s, all communities took on the explicit responsibility to create housing opportunities for their developmentally disabled populations.
Today, we face an unprecedented challenge. California Department of Developmental Services statistics show that for every 1 person with substantially disabling autism in the early 1980s, there are now more than 20. This staggering increase in significant lifelong disability has prompted the ever-increasing demand for specialized community-based housing for dependent adults with autism.
With extremely low incomes and little to no ability to pay rent as a result of their disability, adults with autism transitioning out of the family home have few options for finding or sustaining community-based housing.
SOLUTIONS
We therefore ask the city to actively support a variety of housing opportunities for persons with autism, including adult residential facilities, low-income housing units designated specifically for adults with developmental disabilities and extremely low incomes, and accessory structures and accommodations that will allow families to keep their grown autistic or developmentally disabled children at home.
Here’s how we can do it:
• Develop local funding resources and continue to utilize other local, state and federal assistance to the fullest extent possible, with an emphasis on housing voucher programs available through the local Housing Authority.
• The City’s Below Market Rate housing program can also explicitly address that skyrocketing autism rates require a dedicated effort to finding local ways to address the unprecedented developmental disability housing need.
• Use HUD 811 funds for new construction, rehabilitated units and vouchers.
• Use tax credit incentives for private investment in affordable housing.
• Require set-asides of housing units specifically for the developmentally disabled who have extremely low incomes in new and rehabilitated developments.
• Identify surplus land and prioritize housing for the autistic/developmentally disabled.
• Amend zoning regulations to ensure group homes and supported housing is defined and considered a residential use subject only to the same standards and requirements applicable to other residential uses in all zoning districts.
• Ease parking requirements in developments that set aside units for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Partner with the Housing Authority, regional center to develop a NOFA (notice of funds available) and RFP (request for proposals) to apply for funds to develop autism housing.
CONCLUSION
California has closed its institutions while making an unwavering, unsparing commitment to community-based care for adults with developmental disabilities, including autism. We must make this a reality, not lip service. Such steps are also necessary to comply with SB 812 (2010), that requires all Housing Elements to address the housing needs of people with developmental disabilities.
Please include this letter in the record of public comment. We appreciate your consideration.
Very truly yours,
Please consider advocating in front of your city's Housing Commission, Planning Commission, and City Council.
[Also, please click here for a sample letter advocating to Housing Authorities for priority HUD Section 8 Rental Vouchers for adults with developmental disabilities.
And please click here for the California Attorney General's letter to mayors regarding the need for reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities in all municipal housing plans.]
SAMPLE LETTER AND/OR TALKING POINTS TO YOUR LOCAL JURISDICTION
To: City Council, Mayor, Planning Commission, Housing Commission
From: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Re: The Need for Housing for Adults with Autism and Developmental Disabilities within our Jurisdiction
BACKGROUND
With California’s de-institutionalization of people with developmental disabilities beginning in the 1980s, all communities took on the explicit responsibility to create housing opportunities for their developmentally disabled populations.
Today, we face an unprecedented challenge. California Department of Developmental Services statistics show that for every 1 person with substantially disabling autism in the early 1980s, there are now more than 20. This staggering increase in significant lifelong disability has prompted the ever-increasing demand for specialized community-based housing for dependent adults with autism.
With extremely low incomes and little to no ability to pay rent as a result of their disability, adults with autism transitioning out of the family home have few options for finding or sustaining community-based housing.
SOLUTIONS
We therefore ask the city to actively support a variety of housing opportunities for persons with autism, including adult residential facilities, low-income housing units designated specifically for adults with developmental disabilities and extremely low incomes, and accessory structures and accommodations that will allow families to keep their grown autistic or developmentally disabled children at home.
Here’s how we can do it:
• Develop local funding resources and continue to utilize other local, state and federal assistance to the fullest extent possible, with an emphasis on housing voucher programs available through the local Housing Authority.
• The City’s Below Market Rate housing program can also explicitly address that skyrocketing autism rates require a dedicated effort to finding local ways to address the unprecedented developmental disability housing need.
• Use HUD 811 funds for new construction, rehabilitated units and vouchers.
• Use tax credit incentives for private investment in affordable housing.
• Require set-asides of housing units specifically for the developmentally disabled who have extremely low incomes in new and rehabilitated developments.
• Identify surplus land and prioritize housing for the autistic/developmentally disabled.
• Amend zoning regulations to ensure group homes and supported housing is defined and considered a residential use subject only to the same standards and requirements applicable to other residential uses in all zoning districts.
• Ease parking requirements in developments that set aside units for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Partner with the Housing Authority, regional center to develop a NOFA (notice of funds available) and RFP (request for proposals) to apply for funds to develop autism housing.
CONCLUSION
California has closed its institutions while making an unwavering, unsparing commitment to community-based care for adults with developmental disabilities, including autism. We must make this a reality, not lip service. Such steps are also necessary to comply with SB 812 (2010), that requires all Housing Elements to address the housing needs of people with developmental disabilities.
Please include this letter in the record of public comment. We appreciate your consideration.
Very truly yours,
