Barriers, Solutions to Address Housing Needs for People with I/DD

Barriers, Solutions to Address Housing Needs for People with I/DD

Published on October 17, 2024

Report Identifies Barriers and Solutions to Address Housing Needs for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Denver Human Services and The Kelsey Partner to Produce Recommendations

Denver - Denver Human Services (DHS) released a timely landlords and builders assessment in partnership with The Kelsey, a national nonprofit advancing affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing, also known as "disability-forward" housing. The report outlines barriers to housing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and recommendations to address these barriers.

Barriers to affordable housing access for Denver's I/DD community were identified as:

• The complexity of navigating the housing system as a whole, as well as funding opportunities that support it
• Difficulty of matching accessible units with the tenants that need them
• Added costs of incorporating enhanced accessibility features into cost-competitive development bids for local and state funding

The Kelsey made several recommendations to the DHS Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Equitable Access to Services Mill Levy Program (IDDEAS) and the City and County of Denver to address these barriers. These included:

• Funding affordable housing projects that are linked with services to support residents in navigating housing responsibilities, like paying rent and communicating with property management
• Considering ways to incentivize developers to build accessible housing, such as offering extra funding for universal design features within units
• Creating targeted housing vouchers for residents with I/DD
• Providing education training for property manager to better engage with I/DD tenants
• Incorporating plain-language options for affordable properties or programs for leasing documents or other complicated housing forms

According to a previous research study DHS supported in 2021, it is incredibly difficult for people with I/DD to find housing that is affordable, built with accessible features and run by a property manager willing to meet their needs. Historically, people with I/DD did not have housing options and were instead often forced to live in institutional settings, such as asylums, government-run residential facilities and other segregated communities. Even with federal and state laws that call for integrated options for people with I/DD, housing shortages and challenges still exist.

"Affordable housing is a top priority citywide, and it's especially urgent for our residents with I/DD, as they are at an increased risk of displacement or homelessness," said IDDEAS Program Manager Michaela Hennig. "Denver residents with I/DD face unique challenges in accessing housing that supports and serves their needs, and we hope this assessment helps to lessen those challenges."

The report was commissioned by the Denver Human Services' IDDEAS Mill Levy Program, which manages local taxpayer dollars dedicated to funding services and supports for residents with I/DD. Through a formalized competitive process, IDDEAS awarded the assessment to The Kelsey in November 2023 to investigate and identify landlord and builder barriers to renting and creating housing for people with I/DD.

The Kelsey collected data, stories and knowledge from a range of stakeholders, including housing developers, property managers and residents with I/DD, to understand the barriers to housing for people with I/DD. They then analyzed the data and used it to create a set of actionable recommendations to make housing more accessible to Denver residents with I/DD.

"We were honored to conduct this assessment to better understand the critical barriers to housing for people with I/DD in the Denver area," said Louisa Bukiet, Housing Development Manager at The Kelsey. "We hope this report will inform efforts to expand affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing so that people with I/DD can live and thrive in Denver for decades to come."

This assessment stems from a direct recommendation made by the IDDEAS Advisory Council, which is an appointed group of Denver residents-some with lived experience of I/DD, some with loved ones with I/DD and some who are service professionals in the field. Housing was identified as a top priority.

"As a result of this report, we will consider these recommendations as we make future funding decisions, as well as continue our partnership with other city agencies and organizations in the community to identify ways to incorporate these potential solutions into the larger housing system within Denver," said Hennig.

The Kelsey will formally present details from the report at an upcoming Neuro-Inclusive Housing Summit on October 28 at the University of Colorado at Boulder, a regional event hosted by Boulder County Human Services in partnership with the Inclusive Housing Coalition and the DHS IDDEAS Program. The event will center topics on advancing accessible, affordable housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities here in Colorado.

To read the full report, visit theIDDEAS website.

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About Denver Human Services

Denver Human Services provides assistance benefits and protection and prevention services to one in three Denver residents. DHS envisions a healthy and connected community where all people are safe, supported and well. For more information, visitwww.denvergov.org/humanservices.

About The DHS IDDEAS Mill Levy Program

The DHS IDDEAS Mill Levy Program manages a local tax fund dedicated to services and supports for Denver residents with I/DD. IDDEAS strives to make Denver an inclusive community where people with I/DD feel welcome, valued and empowered to live the lives they envision for themselves. IDDEAS dollars improve the quality of life for Denver residents with I/DD across five pillars, including gaps in services, housing, inclusion, mental health and technology. To learn more about the IDDEAS Mill Levy Program, visit us online.

About The Kelsey

The Kelsey is a national nonprofit that co-develops accessible, affordable, inclusive multifamily housing; advocates for policy changes that promote disability-inclusive practices; and provides tools and templates for others who want to build disability-forward housing based on its model. To learn more about and partner with The Kelsey, visit www.thekelsey.org.

Media Contact:

Wendy Artman | Senior Director, GFM|CenterTable, [email protected]

c: 920-819-8968

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