New Housing Laws Serving People with Disabilities

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Many Thanks to Jane Teeter and the Illinois Assistive Technology Project for

capturing this information and making it available to us!

New Housing Laws Serving

People with Disabilities

On January 4th two very important housing bills were signed into law by the

President: the Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act (S.1481) and

the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act (S.118). For more

than 30 years, under the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD)

Section 811 model, small group homes and independent living facilities for

people with disabilities were created. This outdated model no longer takes

into account that most people with disabilities prefer to live in an

integrated setting within their community and the increasing demand for

supportive housing units. The Melville Supportive Housing Investment

Act reauthorizes and updates HUD's Section 811 program which provides

accessible and affordable supportive housing and vouchers for non-elderly

people with disabilities. Now non-profit organizations will be able to

leverage other local, state and federal funding resources with the Section

811 funds, thus increasing the number of units. The application process is

also streamlined and allows non-profit and for-profit organizations to

partner on Section 811 projects. Triple the number of supportive housing

units is expected to be built with federal dollars. Tony auski,

Executive Director of the Arc of Illinois, testified in Washington to help

build support for the bill.

The Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act reforms the only

federal housing program that serves low-income seniors. As with the

Melville Act, additional funding sources can be leveraged with federal

dollars. The rules for refinancing and rehabilitating Section 202 projects

are also streamlined making it easier for owners to convert properties into

supportive housing units. One of the co-sponsors of this bill was Senator

Durbin.

Kudos to Judy Biggerts (R-IL-113), lead Republican co-sponsor, for being

such a strong proponent of the two House versions of these bills. We also

can't forget to thank all the supportive housing organizations and

disability advocacy groups who for almost four years worked so tirelessly to

get this legislation passed. Revamping these programs has been long overdue.

Partridge

Northern Illinois Field Organizer

Illinois Association of Microboards and atives

www.iambc.org

815-262-0699

3028 N. Trainer Road

Rockford, IL 61114

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A life changed for the better is practice based evidence.

The Illinois Association of Microboards and atives is intended for

those who want to explore possibilities of alternative services for

themselves or their loved ones. The project assists persons with

disabilities and their families and friends to create non-profit

corporations that allow them to live self-directed lives through the use of

person-centered planning, community supports and resource management.