diane dressler senior associate community life resources diane@communityliferesources.com...

Diane DresslerSenior AssociateCommunity Life Resourcesdiane@communityliferesources.com757-774-8580

Exploring Housing Options and Getting Your First Place

People control where and with whom they live.

People live in inclusive communities.

People choose who will best support them to meet their goals and needs.

Environments support the person.

We believe that…

Apply for services Apply for SSI Create a circle of support Establish credit Create a budget Identify financial resources Make a housing plan Find support staff

Laying the Groundwork

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Consider support/service resources• Apply to DDA for services

– “DD” Eligibility• Transitioning Youth funding for DAY services

only• Must demonstrate need for in-home

supports available through the Medicaid Waiver

– “Supports only” eligibility• DDA priorities for services

Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) http://dda.dhmh.maryland.gov

Laying the Groundwork – Step #1

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Additional resources for paid supports– Community First Choice:

https://mmcp.dhmh.maryland.gov/longtermcare/SitePages/Community%20First%20Choice.aspx

– MD Dept. of Disabilities Attendant Care Program: www.mdod.maryland.gov

• Natural supports (family, friends, neighbors)

Laying the Groundwork – Step #1

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Apply for SSI one month following the young adult’s 18th birthday

www.ssa.gov

• Benefits Information/Counseling:Local Center for Independent Living (CIL)

• Maryland Department of Disabilitieswww.mdod.maryland.gov/disability%20benefits

%20home.aspx

Laying the Groundwork – Step #2

Form a circle of support• Invite family, support staff, friends and

resource coordinator• Meet regularly to create a person-

centered plan and to talk about how things are going

• Use circle to problem solve

• Keep notes about decisions and check with circle to make sure tasks are accomplished

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Laying the Groundwork – Step #3

Establish credit

• Open a checking/savings account• Apply for credit card, personal loan• Open a cell phone account• Pay for room and board with a check,

obtain a receipt and track payments

Laying the Groundwork – Step #4

www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/ccc/establish.html

www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/best-ways-to-establish-credit.aspx

Credit Resources

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Helpful websites for learning to establish credit

Make a budget• List all income• List all expenses• Include savings• Do not exceed the SSI asset and resource

limit ($2,000)

Laying the Groundwork – Step #5

Assess Financial Resources• Special Needs Trust• Long term financial planning• Family resources

Laying the Groundwork – Step #6

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Housing Strategies

Bundled housing and services

• Group home

• Individual family care

• Residential supports through MHA

Housing Strategies

• Must be “DD Eligible”

• Also called Alternative Living Unit (3 or fewer unrelated persons)

• Services are funded by DDA – housing is NOT

• Controlled by service provider (owned or leased)

• Choice limitations– Where to live– With whom to live

DDA - Group Home/ALU

• Must be “DD Eligible”

• Person lives with a caregiver in the caregiver’s home

• Caregiver is trained to provide supports

• Similar to adult foster care

DDA: Individual Family Care (IFC)

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• Medical Assistance number is needed to access resources

• Each county has a Core Service Agency that helps people find resources

http://dhmh.maryland.gov/mha/SitePages/csa.aspx

• Resources– “Navigating the Transition Years”

www.mdtransition.org/uploadedfiles/MHNavigation

– On Our Own of Maryland – statewide self-advocacy and peer support organizationhttp://www.onourownmd.org/msh.html

Residential Supports through Mental Hygiene Administration

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Housing separate from services• Family home

• Rented room, apartment or house

• Homeownership

• Shared home

• Informal arrangement with family or friends

Housing Strategies

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• In-home supports• Natural• Paid

• Environmental modifications• MD Technical Assistance Program www.mdtap.org • Dept. of Rehabilitation Services: www.dors.state.md.us• Dept. of Housing and Community Development:

www.mdhousing.org• Local governments• Creative Housing Solutions, LLC http://gbcchs.com

Family Home

Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)• HUD Rental assistance program administered by local

public housing agencies (PHA)

• Household pays 30% of income for rent and utilities, voucher pays the rest

• Will provide an extra bedroom (no additional rent) for a live-in care giver if medical documentation supports the need.

• Section 8 Made Simple: www.tacinc.org/knowledge-resources/publications/manuals-guides/section-8-made-simple

Renting

• Apply when young adult is 18

• Apply at the public housing agency where the young adult lives and/or works: – Find your local PHA here:

www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/md.cfm

• Provide a secondary contact: family member, resource coordinator

• Identify applicant as a person with a disability

• Notify the housing office of any change in address!

Housing Choice Voucher

Public Housing• Through local public housing agency• Some counties have this, some don’t

Project-based rental assistance• Resources vary by local area• Listed on www.mdhousingsearch.org

Renting

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Area Median Income - Thresholds

1-Person Household

2-Person Household

Jurisdiction Area MedianIncome (AMI)

IncomeLimit30%

IncomeLimit30%

BaltimoreMetro Area $85,600 $18,000 $20,600

Washington, D.C.Metro Area $107,300 $22,550 $25,800

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Weinberg Apartments• $2 million grant from Harry and Jeanette

Weinberg Foundation to State of MD for affordable housing for people with disabilities

• Eligibility– Adults age 18 to 62– Income between 15% and 30% of area median

income (AMI)– In need of permanent supportive housing

• Application– Resource coordinator/case manager/CIL must place

person on registry

Renting

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HUD 811 PRA (Project Rental Assistance)– New program – Registry opens November 3 at

8:00 a.m. • Resource coordinator/case manager/CIL staff

must place person on registry

– Provides rental assistance to people with disabilities with income at or below 30% of median (includes people receiving SSI/SSDI)

– Household pays 30% of income for rent and utilities, PRA pays remaining rent

Renting

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811 PRA Eligible Population

Non-elderly adults between 18 and 62 years of age

Disabled as defined by HUD

Income at or below 30% AMI

Eligible for Long Term Supports & Services through Medicaid or other state funded program

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• Priority populations: People with disabilities who are:– Transitioning from institutions/nursing

facilities– At risk of institutionalization due to housing

situation– Transitioning to independent renting from

ALU/group home– Homeless

HUD 811 PRA (Project Rental Assistance)

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Voluntary Support Services

3 DHMH Medicaid Waivers

Community

Options – adults with

disabilities

Brain

Injury – adults with

TBI

Community

Pathways –

adults with

developmental disability

Medical

Day waiver

Medicaid State Plan Services

CFC MAPC

Behavioral Healt

h

MDOD

Attendant Care Program

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Services must be available, participation is optional

Renting

Affordable “Flat” Rent Programs• A property owner commits to providing a certain number of

units at a rent that is lower than the market rent

• In exchange, owner receives capital dollars, tax credits, or other benefits

• Rent is set at a level affordable to persons in a certain income group (i.e., 30% to 60% area median income)

• Rent payment is established by area median income, not adjusted based on household income

• Find these units in MD under “Recipient Lists and Awards Summaries” at http://dhcd.maryland.gov/Website/programs/lihtc/Default.aspx#recipient

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• Go Section 8www.gosection8.com

• MD Housing Search www.mdhousingsearch.org • Realtors, newspapers, Craig’s List

• Public Housing Authority office (if person has a voucher)

Finding affordable housing

“A change in rules, policies, practices, or services so that a person with a disability will have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling unit or common space.”

• Section 504 of Rehab Act• Fair Housing Act• Americans with Disabilities Act

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Reasonable Accommodation

• Examples• Extra bedroom if medical documentation

supports need– Live-in care giver– Medical equipment

• Additional time to transition & find unit

• Adjustment to rent payment standard• Up to 110% FMR without special HUD

permission

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Reasonable Accommodation

JUST DO IT!

Explanation of renter’s insurance: www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/sa/docs/doc

uments/consumer/publications/rentersinsurance.pdf

Renter’s Insurance

• Owning a home does not affect Medicaid, SSI or SSDI benefits!!– Paying roommate is allowed – roommate contribution

cannot be more than an equal/fair share of room and board (mortgage, utilities and food).

• Can be owned by the person or the special needs trust

• Information from SSI: http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-living-ussi.htm

• Maryland Homeownership for Individuals with Disabilities Program www.dhcd.maryland.gov/Website/programs/hidp/Default.aspx

Homeownership

Resources– Planning Now (a publication from the MD

Developmental Disabilities Council): http://md-council.org/publications/planning_now.html

– Special Needs Trust: A Guide for Trustees, Administration Manual, 2005 Edition

– Special Needs Alliance: www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/special-needs-trusts-and-home-ownership-a-trustees-concerns/

Special Needs Trust and Homeownership

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Resources• MD Technical Assistance Program

www.mdtap.org • Dept. of Rehabilitation Services www.dors.state.md.us• Dept. of Housing and Community Development

www.mdhousing.org• Local governments• DDA Low Intensity Supports & Services (LISS)

– Up to $3,000 annually– Apply July 1

• Creative Housing Solutions http://gbcchs.com/

Environmental Modifications

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• Kennedy Krieger Resource Finder

http://resourcefinder.kennedykrieger.org

• Technical Assistance Collaborative www.tacinc.org

Additional information…

• National Low Income Housing Coalition http://nlihc.org

• National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications

www.usc.edu/dept/gero/nrcshhm

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Additional information…

• Assistive Technology www.mdod.maryland.gov/MTAPHome.aspx

• Maryland Housing and Disability Services Resource Guide www.kennedykrieger.org/sites/kki2.com/file/housing_resource_2011update.pdf

• Maryland Community Services Locator www.mdcsl.org

Additional information…

• Maryland transitioning youth websitewww.mdtransition.org

• Howard County Department of Housing and Community Developmentwww.howardcountymd.gov/Departments.aspx?ID=2232

Additional information…

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Contact Information

Diane DresslerCommunity Life Resources757-774-8580diane@communityliferesources.com

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