Inclusive Housing Coalition
Priority Areas
In Colorado, approximately 127,000 persons with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (A/I/DD) have requested services and many more are uncounted. Housing continues to be a top concern for this population and their families.
Several existing barriers and issues press on the systems meant to assist these people and could force individuals with A/I/DD to live in overly restrictive settings, institutionalization or even homelessness. Like many seniors, individuals with A/I/DD should have the opportunity to live in settings that may provide daily support and engagement in activities.​
The following identifies issues to be addressed in the coming 1 to 3 years:
​​Shortage of Cognitively Accessible Affordable Housing:
People with A/I/DD can and desire to live independently in a variety of settings including single-family homes, host homes, multi-family apartment buildings and intentional communities. The common factor is the need for supports that serve the neuro-diverse individual. Finding the appropriate setting is challenging and made more so by the ongoing issue of housing unaffordability in Colorado. According to studies, Colorado faces a shortfall of approximately 100,000 units and record numbers of lower-income Coloradans are housing cost-burdened, meaning that more than 30% of income is needed for housing costs. Many individuals with A/I/DD struggle to find an affordable setting that provides support for their needs. Part of the solution is increasing the supply of affordable, neuro-inclusive housing.
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Suggested Actions:
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Formal inclusion of A/I/DD needs as a consideration in the use of new and existing affordable housing finance tools such as the low-income tax credit and other government sponsored resources.
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Introduction of new financing resources including a potential state housing tax credit for affordable housing that includes A/I/DD units and programming.
Aging Parent/Caregivers:
More than 72% individuals with A/I/DD in Colorado live with family. More than 21,000 of those individuals currently live with parents or caregivers over the age of 60. This has the potential to cause a “cliff” situation whereby people without an appropriate alternative may be forced to live in an unsupportive residential setting or possibly even face homelessness. Parents and family caregivers are deeply concerned that there may not be appropriate care for their loved ones once they are no longer able to continue to provide care. The IHC is currently seeking to address this issue in its Elderly Alignment, Design and Programs Committee.
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Suggested Actions:
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Prioritization of housing vouchers for individuals with A/I/DD who may be in danger of homelessness or institutionalization due to living with an aging caregiver.
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Establishment of a state sponsored effort to address issue that will lead to implementation of a process to ensure that individuals living with aging caregivers have supportive housing options available to them.
Housing Related Service Deficits for Persons with Higher Needs:
Individuals with A/I/DD that require a high level of support including 24-hour staffed caregiving face several Medicaid related service provision uncertainties and rule changes that can result in unfavorable residential circumstances and financial stress for the family. This is in addition to a lack of residential settings favorable and affordable for higher needs individuals. Worsening the problem is that in recent years, insufficient funding for service provision has helped cause the closure of several group homes that provided critical residential services to higher need A/I/DD individuals.
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Suggested Actions:
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Support service providers who are seeking innovative ways to use existing owned real estate for the benefit of adults with A/I/DD in need of neuro-inclusive housing with supports.
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Continue to support the work of the Intentional Communities Research Project to seek residential alternative that support higher needs individuals but are not institutional in nature.
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Establishment of a state effort to provide clarification and alignment of Medicaid related services for higher needs individuals with a goal of increasing residential support.
Availability and Flexibility of Housing Vouchers:
State and locally administered Housing Choice Voucher programs serve as a critical source of rental support for many low-income individuals. Individuals with A/I/DD, service providers and housing providers have found that the system for allocation of vouchers is not always well suited to meet the needs of the population, is difficult to navigate, particularly for individuals with cognitive disabilities, and often does not provide a needed level of flexibility.
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Suggested Actions:
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Consider creating a state position that helps individuals navigate housing issues such as vouchers and other requirements that come with accessing affordable housing.
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Allocation of vouchers should include individuals with A/I/DD who are at a high risk of becoming homeless or institutionalized, including those living with a parent or caregiver over the age of 60. Implementation of a statewide housing navigation system for individuals with A/I/DD and/or their caregivers.
The following identifies issues in service provision that have an impact of housing for people with A/I/DD:
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The Inclusive Housing Coalition supports the Alliance Colorado policy positions as they relate to housing for people with I/DD in Colorado.