Housing Options - Apartment/Co-Op/Rental Home

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An ASD adult can rent a unit with help from a rental subsidy, if available, and receive daily living support from an SLS or ILS agency, funded by a combination of IHSS and Regional Center. Sometimes two or more DD adults can share a unit as roommates with separate or overlapping staff supports.
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PROS:
  • The ASD client retains separate control over housing choice and support staff;
  • Good for consumers who can make their own choices about activities and daily living, but need support to carry out choices; 
  • Good for consumers who can communicate if they feel mistreated by a support person;
  • Depending on the nature of the SLS agency, the parents can remain involved in aspects of daily living and programming.
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CONS:
  • Rental subsidies are scarce, thereby limiting community housing options for those with ASD;
  • Managing SLS for an ASD adult can be extremely complex and expensive;
  • Some risk of isolation for both caregivers and the client;
  • If consumer is not able to express own choices, choices are left to the support workers to define or interpret for the consumer; 
  • Much depends on the skills and commitment of the support staff; 
  • More likely that a consumer would spend time alone with one staff, so risk of neglect or abuse may be higher than when living with a larger group and more staff.
Pictured: An ASD tenant with Section 8 or other subsidy may afford an apartment with ILS or SLS support. Unfortunately, most ASD adults are not provided with rental support and are priced out of the market. Below-market rate “affordable housing” units are scant and cannot possibly meet the surging demand for ASD housing. Expansion of rental subsidies for those with exceptional needs such as ASD is imperative.
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