Housing Expansion Task Housing Expansion Task Force for People with Force for People with DisabilitiesDisabilities

Report on Current Issues and Report on Current Issues and OpportunitiesOpportunities

Virginia Disability CommissionVirginia Disability CommissionOctober 22, 2009October 22, 2009

Housing Expansion Task Force Housing Expansion Task Force FormedFormed

Includes all members of former Disability Includes all members of former Disability Commission, Olmstead, and Money Follows Commission, Olmstead, and Money Follows the Person (MFP) Housing Work Groupsthe Person (MFP) Housing Work Groups

Organizational meeting August 4Organizational meeting August 4 Future meetings first Thursday of the Future meetings first Thursday of the

month, September-November and March-month, September-November and March-June, 1:00 p.m. at General Assembly June, 1:00 p.m. at General Assembly BuildingBuilding

Ed Turner chairsEd Turner chairs Sarah Stanton, Julie Stanley and Jason Sarah Stanton, Julie Stanley and Jason

Rachel staff the groupRachel staff the group

Task Force Approach to the WorkTask Force Approach to the Work

Work Plan adopted through 11/10Work Plan adopted through 11/10 Reviews current federal, state and local Reviews current federal, state and local

issues/opportunitiesissues/opportunities Develops presentations to Disability CommissionDevelops presentations to Disability Commission Updates Olmstead Strategic Plan housing strategiesUpdates Olmstead Strategic Plan housing strategies Assists in compiling MFP Housing Report to the Assists in compiling MFP Housing Report to the

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and semi-annual MFP Annual Action Plan reports to semi-annual MFP Annual Action Plan reports to Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Secretaries of Health and Human Resources and Commerce and TradeCommerce and Trade

Special invited guest at each meeting:Special invited guest at each meeting:– Homebuilders Association (August)Homebuilders Association (August)– Housing Opportunities Made Equal (September)Housing Opportunities Made Equal (September)– Apartment Management Association (October)Apartment Management Association (October)

Overview: Overview: Current Issues and OpportunitiesCurrent Issues and Opportunities

Federal:Federal:– HUD Non-Elderly Disability VouchersHUD Non-Elderly Disability Vouchers– HUD Unlocking Doors InitiativeHUD Unlocking Doors Initiative– HUD Section 202 and 811 FundingHUD Section 202 and 811 Funding

State:State:– VirginiaHousingSearch.comVirginiaHousingSearch.com– DBHDS Housing StudyDBHDS Housing Study– Auxiliary Grant PortabilityAuxiliary Grant Portability– Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified

Allocation PlanAllocation Plan– Money Follows the Person (MFP) UpdateMoney Follows the Person (MFP) Update– Lack of Statewide Housing Data—People in InstitutionsLack of Statewide Housing Data—People in Institutions

Local:Local:– CILs’ work with Public Housing Agencies and CILs’ work with Public Housing Agencies and

Consolidated PlansConsolidated Plans– NIMBYISM/Fair Housing IssuesNIMBYISM/Fair Housing Issues

Non-Elderly Disability VouchersNon-Elderly Disability Vouchers

Special opportunity: 4,000+ new vouchers Special opportunity: 4,000+ new vouchers nationwidenationwide– At least 1,000 proposed for MFPAt least 1,000 proposed for MFP

Comment Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) issued Comment Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) issued in Junein June– Response date was July 13Response date was July 13– DMAS submitted a responseDMAS submitted a response

Final NOFA expected by end of 2009Final NOFA expected by end of 2009 Centers for Independent Living (CILs) working with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) working with

Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to prepare Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) to prepare applicationsapplications

Governor Kaine sent letter to PHAs encouraging them Governor Kaine sent letter to PHAs encouraging them to applyto apply

VHDA to apply and make all vouchers received VHDA to apply and make all vouchers received available for MFPavailable for MFP

Unlocking Doors InitiativeUnlocking Doors Initiative

HUD working with partners in Richmond HUD working with partners in Richmond Metro area to plan Information Fair 4/10Metro area to plan Information Fair 4/10

Fair will bring together disability and Fair will bring together disability and housing agencies with faith-based and housing agencies with faith-based and community organizationscommunity organizations

Other populations included: refugees, Other populations included: refugees, ex-offenders and persons experiencing ex-offenders and persons experiencing homelessnesshomelessness

HUD HUD Section 202 and 811 FundingSection 202 and 811 Funding

HUD recently announced availability of funds to HUD recently announced availability of funds to provide non-profit organizations interest-free provide non-profit organizations interest-free capital advance funds to produce affordable capital advance funds to produce affordable rental housing with supportive services for the rental housing with supportive services for the elderly and persons with disabilities through elderly and persons with disabilities through HUD's Section 202 and Section 811 Capital HUD's Section 202 and Section 811 Capital Advance programs. Advance programs.

HUD provides the Section 202 and Section 811 HUD provides the Section 202 and Section 811 funds to non-profit organizations in two forms: funds to non-profit organizations in two forms: – Capital Advances: Funding that covers the cost of Capital Advances: Funding that covers the cost of

developing, acquiring, or rehabilitating the developing, acquiring, or rehabilitating the development. development.

– Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC): Funding Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC): Funding that goes to each development to cover the difference that goes to each development to cover the difference between the residents' contributions toward rent and between the residents' contributions toward rent and the HUD-approved cost of operating the project.the HUD-approved cost of operating the project.

Virginia’s share will support 55 Section 202 units Virginia’s share will support 55 Section 202 units and 14 Section 811 units.and 14 Section 811 units.

VirginiaHousingSearch.comVirginiaHousingSearch.com

A comprehensive database of A comprehensive database of affordable rental housingaffordable rental housing– Includes accessibility features and Includes accessibility features and

proximity to public transportationproximity to public transportation VHDA contracted with Social ServeVHDA contracted with Social Serve VHDA marketing to landlords, who can VHDA marketing to landlords, who can

advertise freeadvertise free @ 40,000 listings currently@ 40,000 listings currently Some local databases linking to Some local databases linking to

statewide databasestatewide database

DBHDS Housing StudyDBHDS Housing Study

Requested by 2008 General Assembly to Requested by 2008 General Assembly to address housing for individuals with address housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilitiesintellectual and developmental disabilities

Report due in November; will have Report due in November; will have implications for other populations as wellimplications for other populations as well

Focus to be on the need to develop:Focus to be on the need to develop:– a housing policya housing policy

– a community living supplement to assist people a community living supplement to assist people who receive SSI in paying for housingwho receive SSI in paying for housing

– a state strategy to prioritize and target investment a state strategy to prioritize and target investment of state and federal fundsof state and federal funds

Auxiliary Grant PortabilityAuxiliary Grant Portability

Pilots will not work due to:Pilots will not work due to:– Putting Medicaid Program in JeopardyPutting Medicaid Program in Jeopardy– Maintenance of Effort IssuesMaintenance of Effort Issues

Capping at a certain number of Capping at a certain number of slots will not work for the same slots will not work for the same reasonsreasons

Only possible alternative: General Only possible alternative: General Fund program separate from Fund program separate from auxiliary grantsauxiliary grants

Federal Low Income Housing Tax Federal Low Income Housing Tax

CreditCredit Qualified Allocation PlanQualified Allocation Plan

VHDA held two input sessions in SeptemberVHDA held two input sessions in September Housing Solutions Work Group Housing Solutions Work Group

recommendations consideredrecommendations considered Input from disability agencies consideredInput from disability agencies considered Draft now available at Draft now available at

http://www.vhda.com/vhda_com/apps/DocumentLibrary/document_load.asp?docid=3295

Major focus: new affordable rental space in areas that reflect a need for additional affordable housing

Focus group scheduled for 10/28, 1:00 p.m., Virginia Housing Center

Public comment scheduled for 11/17, 10:00 a.m. VHDA

Final adoption scheduled for 12/2 Final adoption scheduled for 12/2

MFP Update as of September 2009MFP Update as of September 2009

102 have enrolled; 43 have transitioned:102 have enrolled; 43 have transitioned:– 11 into a home11 into a home– 8 into an apartment8 into an apartment– 24 into a 4-bed or fewer group home24 into a 4-bed or fewer group home

Supplemental home modifications and Supplemental home modifications and bridge rent availablebridge rent available

Major housing barriersMajor housing barriers– Lack of rental vouchersLack of rental vouchers– Economic downturn affecting private-non-Economic downturn affecting private-non-

profit buildersprofit builders– Lack of reliable statewide needs dataLack of reliable statewide needs data

Lack of Statewide Housing Data:Lack of Statewide Housing Data:People in InstitutionsPeople in Institutions

2009 Olmstead Community Integration Strategic 2009 Olmstead Community Integration Strategic Plan calls for developing/funding statewide data Plan calls for developing/funding statewide data collection of:collection of:– the number of individuals in institutions who cannot transition the number of individuals in institutions who cannot transition

due to an inability to afford housing or find accessible housing due to an inability to afford housing or find accessible housing – the number who risk institutionalization for these reasons the number who risk institutionalization for these reasons – the type of housing neededthe type of housing needed– the number of units needed by geographic location in Virginia the number of units needed by geographic location in Virginia

THA toolkit and JLARC study explored; not THA toolkit and JLARC study explored; not feasible feasible

Alternatives:Alternatives:– Break down data needs; work on each component separately, Break down data needs; work on each component separately,

with a different approach for gathering each piece of datawith a different approach for gathering each piece of data– Administer a “census” of sorts to individuals living in Administer a “census” of sorts to individuals living in

institutions institutions The group will consider a more detailed proposal The group will consider a more detailed proposal

in Novemberin November

CILs’ Work with Public Housing CILs’ Work with Public Housing AgenciesAgencies

Encouraging PHAs to apply for the forthcoming Encouraging PHAs to apply for the forthcoming MFP vouchers; assisting them with data to include MFP vouchers; assisting them with data to include in their applications to increase their in their applications to increase their competitivenesscompetitiveness

Working to create preferences in housing plans Working to create preferences in housing plans for people with disabilitiesfor people with disabilities

Trying to gain membership of individuals with Trying to gain membership of individuals with disabilities on PHA residence councilsdisabilities on PHA residence councils

Conducting local workshops both for people with Conducting local workshops both for people with disabilities and for partner agencies disabilities and for partner agencies

Analyzing and commenting on Consolidated PlansAnalyzing and commenting on Consolidated Plans

NIMBYISM/Fair Housing IssuesNIMBYISM/Fair Housing Issues

HOME Audit (Tidewater) shows:HOME Audit (Tidewater) shows:– Vast majority of builders and developers are not complying Vast majority of builders and developers are not complying

with the federal requirements for accessible unitswith the federal requirements for accessible units– There is no coordinated enforcement effort and little There is no coordinated enforcement effort and little

resources to do soresources to do so ““NIMBYism” is a growing problemNIMBYism” is a growing problem

– Culpeper County and Town of New Market: Neighbors Culpeper County and Town of New Market: Neighbors argued that a CSB group home would violate restrictive argued that a CSB group home would violate restrictive covenantscovenants

– Wythe County: AG’s Office settled complaint brought by Wythe County: AG’s Office settled complaint brought by Virginia Fair Housing Board after supervisors passed an Virginia Fair Housing Board after supervisors passed an ordinance derailing plans for a group home for up to eight ordinance derailing plans for a group home for up to eight children.  children. 

Olmstead Implementation Team/Community Olmstead Implementation Team/Community Integration Advisory Commission are preparing fair Integration Advisory Commission are preparing fair housing information to send to localities to address housing information to send to localities to address these issuesthese issues

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?