APRIL 27, 2020
TAKE ACTION:
REVISE MHP GUIDELINES
California does not have enough affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing. Since the closure of state institutions and the ongoing decrease in the number of congregate settings, California has never invested in developing community-based integrated housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) is one of the largest funding sources in our state for affordable housing. Despite the intention to include people with disabilities, there are no specific incentives to include housing for this population in their projects, nor have any projects this year been funded that set aside units for people with I/DD. Tell the California Dept. of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that MHP guidelines should address the unmet housing needs of people with I/DD. 
Submit Your Comment to Revise MHP

To do this, we are organizing our stakeholders to participate in the current public comment process to MHP’s 2020 draft guideline amendments. This public comment period is now open and the deadline for making comments is May 5th. To support this campaign please follow the below steps.

1. Click here or go to link: surveymonkey.com/r/MHP3PublicComment

2. On landing page click "Next" button

3. Enter in your basic contact information and click “Next”
4. Select in the "Section" drop-down option “Other – IDENTIFY SECTION BELOW”
5. Copy and paste the below advocacy message in the “Comments” field:

  • There are more than 350,000 Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who receive support services through the CA Regional Center system. MHP guidelines do not currently address their unmet housing needs nor the needs of other people with disabilities who access In Home Support Services. Many of these individuals live with aging parents who are rapidly becoming unable to provide needed long-term care and housing. Others find themselves in inadequate, overcrowded, or unhealthy environments. Still, others are among our homeless population, struggling to find shelter during our state’s protracted affordable housing crisis. Due to their disabilities, extreme low-income, service needs, elevated unemployment rate, and accessibility issues, they have been historically underserved by the affordable housing market. I ask that the revised guidelines incentivize developers to include units set aside for people with I/DD of all ages, not only those who are senior or fit the definition of chronically homeless. I support the Lanterman Housing Alliance’s recommendations and ask HCD to remedy the underutilization of MHP to create units that serve people with I/DD.
6. Mark the “Yes” button to signify that this is your last comment and click “Next”
7. Don’t forget to click the fine “Done” to officially submit your comment

That's it! Thank you for your support of LHA and for advocating for incentives to be included in California’s MHP program to create affordable housing for people with I/DD.
LHA's 2019-2020 Legislative / Policy Agenda
LHA advocates for the included legislative/policy solutions as a means to enhance statewide capacity to meet the housing needs of people with I/DD... READ FULL AGENDA

DOWNLOAD THE BELOW RESOURCES:
Residents of an LHA member's housing
LHA currently coordinates the following committees: Legacy Homes, Legislative Advocacy, and Statewide Strategic Framework. If you are interested in joining a new committee, please notify me at the below contact information.
IAN NEVAREZ
Association Director
Toll Free: (888) 542-4005