Help us stop discrimination for special needs housing!
On October 26, 2017 CPSH presented the status of community-based housing and coordinating services to the Texas IDD System Redesign Committee. The testimony included the current status of the demands CPSH has made to the Dallas Housing Authority and Housing and Urban Development The testimony and Q&A is in the video below. This video is 60 minutes.
If you have comments about this video, please send them to Robin LeoGrande.
About 7 million adults in the U.S. are living with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). Is your Housing Authority next?
Please fill in the form below to show your support for special needs housing and tell leaders that discrimination toward people with IDD is illegal!
Need more reasons to send email? There are some reasons at the bottom of this page.
Send an email to support special needs housing!
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To: U.S House of Representatives in Texas Congressional Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 24,26, and 30, Dallas City Mayor and City Council, DHA President and COO,
Copy: your email address, CPSH Admin, North Texas Fair Housing Office
From: CPSHwebsite@gmail.com
I support the housing discrimination complaint issued by COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING against the City of Dallas Housing Authority. See txcpsh.org/unite4housing.
This complaint states that the City of Dallas Housing Authority canceled a project based voucher (PBV) program that would give people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) access to community-based, service-enriched, affordable housing options. About six applicants of the program were denied the opportunity for a PBV. Potentially 18 people with IDD were denied the opportunity to live in these homes.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny, a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap. CPSH alleges that by cancelling a project based voucher program for permanent supportive housing for persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities, DHA has discriminated in the rental of these properties to any renter because of a handicap.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the United States Supreme Court’s decision Olmstead v. L.C. held that the integration mandate of the ADA requires public agencies to provide services “in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities”. CPSH alleges that by cancelling this project DHA denies people with IDD the opportunity to live in the integrated setting appropriate.
I am asking that the canceled program be reinstated, and the federal Acts be enforced on this and all future PBV programs for adults with IDD, so that more housing option will be created for and available to persons with IDD.
{your personal note - optional}
Respectfully,
{Name}
{Address}
{City}, {State} {Zip Code}
{Email Address}
Some of the CPSH reminders to send your emails to elected officials.
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COMMUNITY FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTED HOUSING (CPSH) with assistance from and the North Texas Fair Housing Center has filed a housing discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Dallas Housing Authority's (DHA) cancelation of a project based voucher program. As a result people with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties CAN NOT access community-based, service-enriched, affordable housing options. DHA's discriminating action was a result of a statement from HUD. Housing Authorities across the U.S. may also be discriminating against housing for people with IDD because of the HUD statement. About 100,000 adults in North Texas, 525,000 adults in Texas and 7 million adults in the U.S. are living with Intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and have at least one challenge to living independently. Most of them will outlive their parents. Where will they live? We all must work together to fight discrimination so that they can choose where they live when we are no longer able to care for them Their futures and our peace of mind are at risk. The actions of CPSH, alone, are not enough to make this type of change happen. As someone who cares deeply about the quality of life for people with IDD, CPSH is asking you to send an email showing your support for this complaint and that you want this housing discrimination to stop. |
LET'S unite4housing SO PEOPLE WITH IDD
CAN LIVE WHERE THEY CHOOSE. |
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The Dallas Housing Authority has determined people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) cannot rent from a family member who has been awarded with a project based voucher for a single family home. About 100,000 adults in North Texas and 7 million in the U.S. are living with IDD. Where will they live? Please go to our Unite4Housing webpage to email leaders to show your support for our complaint filed with HUD and tell them that discrimination toward people with IDD is illegal! And don't forget to Like the CPSH Facebook page for updates on the status of our complaint. |
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LET'S unite4housing SO PEOPLE WITH IDD
CAN LIVE WHERE THEY CHOOSE. |
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The Dallas Housing Authority has determined people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) cannot rent from a family member who has been awarded with a project based voucher for a single family home. The DHA is basing their position on a HUD statement from the Federal Register in 2005. To allow an owner of a project-based voucher development to rent to close family relatives (whether disabled or not) creates a systematic incentive to owners to misuse the program. About 100,000 adults in North Texas and 7 million in the U.S. are living with IDD. Where will they live? Please go to our Unite4Housing webpage to read the complaint documentation (under "Links") and email leaders to show your support for our complaint filed with HUD and tell them that discrimination toward people with IDD is illegal! And don't forget to Like the CPSH Facebook page for updates on the status of our complaint. |
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LET'S unite4housing SO PEOPLE WITH IDD
CAN LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHERE THEY CHOOSE. |
Sample of Current Apartment Rent |
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|---|---|---|
| City | 1 Br | 2 Br (Ea.) |
| Arlington | $820 | $1,050 ($525) |
| Dallas | $1,270 | $1,750 ($875) |
| Fort Worth | $1,010 | $1,200 ($600) |
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Question: How do our children afford safe housing and other necessary living expenses
with SSI monthly income of $735? Answer: By living in homes that have project based vouchers assigned by the Dallas Housing Authority. Their rent will be affordable at about 30% of their income. Barrier: If a parent owns a home with a voucher, the DHA won't allow a reasonable accommodation so their child can live in the home. Approach: We need to advocate for this affordable housing so people with IDD can live within their means. Action: Please go to our Unite4Housing webpage to read the complaint documentation (under "Links") and email leaders to show your support for our complaint filed with HUD and tell them that discrimination toward people with IDD is illegal! |