Lanterman Housing Alliance | February Newsletter

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FEBRUARY 2020

Registration Open for LHA's Spring Members, Partners, and Affiliates Summit

We are excited to host LHA's Spring Members, Partners, and Affiliates Summit at Humphrey's Half Moon Inn on March 26-27, 2020. This annual event brings together our members, partners, and affiliates to engage in topics related to best practices, available resources, and policy/legislative solutions that will lead to increasing affordable housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Session topics at the summit will include housing element advocacy, the new A Crisis Within A Crisis bill ask, the roll out of our LHA public awareness campaign, and 2020/2021 alliance objectives. To officially join LHA and attend our upcoming Summit, click here .

Already a dues paying LHA Member, Partner or Affiliate? Register for the Spring Summit today!

NOTE FROM THE BOARD: LHA Begins Search for First Full Time Executive Director

As the Lanterman Housing Alliance approaches its 5th official year of incorporation, we must express our appreciation for the countless amazing volunteers and consultants who have believed in our purpose to serve as a catalyst for creating homes for people with I/DD. These individuals throughout the state have been willing to put their time, talents, and treasure into our efforts to grow capacity and impact. Thank you all for participating in this collective work. Our Board of Directors is now happy to announce that LHA is prepared to take the next step in our growth by hiring our first full-time Executive Director. Please see the attached position description here.

We hope to fill this new position by July 1, 2020. If you have suggestions or are interested in applying, please contact and send your resume to Ian Nevarez at [email protected].

- The Board

See position description.

LHA to Launch Public Awareness Campaign Advocating for a Four Pronged Approach to Addressing the Affordable Housing Crisis for People with I/DD

Individuals with I/DD are struggling to find safe, stable, and affordable homes in today’s real estate market. That’s why self-advocates – along with their families and allies – are calling for practical solutions to address the current housing crisis for this at-risk population. LHA endorses four common-sense interventions that are based on national models and incorporate successful tactics used by other special needs populations to generate housing resources as highlighted in the Statewide Strategic Framework to Increase Housing for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities that was created in partnership with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and LHA.

To move this initiative forward, we are launching a public awareness campaign to educate community partners, elected officials, policymakers, and the general population that improving the housing system in California to better meet the needs of people with I/DD is possible and can prevent a crisis for these more than 400,000 individuals living in California. These solutions are 1) strengthen statewide and local collaboration, 2) improve system-wide data sharing and planning, 3) expand funding to identify or create additional housing opportunities, 4) ensure people with I/DD can access housing systems more effectively.

The public’s support in advocating for these system changes will be critical to increase housing opportunities in the future.

Read overview of LHA public awareness campaign.

LHA Meets with DDS to Discuss Housing Needs Data Methodology

LHA was excited to participate in a meeting on Wednesday, February 5th, with the California Department of Developmental Services where they unveiled a draft methodology and tool to access the housing needs of people with developmental disabilities. The goal of their efforts is to provide a realistic measurement of the units of housing needed to meet the growing demand of this population for safe, stable, healthy and affordable homes that continue to support the Lanterman Act's mandate that people with developmental disabilities receive services in the most inclusive and least restrictive environments. So this data will be used in the near future to advocate legislators, policy makers, and regional housing authorities to plan and coordinate resources to create the housing units needed to meet their service needs.

LHA applauds DDS's efforts and looks forward to continuing to work with them to improve this tool & methodology as they prepare the data for publication.

LHA Receives $5,000 Grant Award from MUFG Union Bank Foundation

LHA thanks MUFG Union Bank Foundation for their grant of $5,000 to support of our work this coming year in the area of advocating for recommendations found in the Statewide Strategic Framework for Expanding Housing Opportunities for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities published in November 2018. This funding will directly support LHA's upcoming public awareness campaign and coalition-building associated with tackling the implementation of many of the interventions identified in this research.

from Daily Pilot

Costa Mesa Council Dndorses Vision of Mixed-income Housing on Fairview Developmental Center Property

by Faith E. Pinho

Imagine the Fairview Developmental Center as Costa Mesa’s newest village. Houses would sit among coffee shops and laundromats, with plentiful open space throughout the expansive campus on Harbor Boulevard. Families, veterans, single folks and people on the brink of homelessness — all would be residents of the mixed-income community.

Such was the vision the Costa Mesa City Council’s Fairview Developmental Center ad hoc committee presented Tuesday evening, where it was met with nearly unanimous support.

Read the full story at the Daily Pilot.

... LHA MEMBER IN THE MEDIA: Brilliant Corners ...

from Santa Monica Daily Press

Community Corp. Breaks Ground on First Development Outside of Santa Monica

by Mandeleine Pauker

Santa Monica’s largest affordable housing provider broke ground Friday on its first building outside city limits.

The LEED Platinum development from Community Corporation of Santa Monica will provide 50 apartments for low-income households in Mar Vista. 12 of the units in the building, which has been dubbed Vista Ballona, will be set aside for individuals with developmental disabilities. Community Corp. will offer case management services through Brilliant Corners and the Westside Regional Center.

Read the full story at the Santa Monica Daily Press .

from The Arc

The Arc Partners with CQL to Research How People with I/DD and Their Families Decide to Live

The decision of where to live in the future can be a challenging one. People may not know what possibilities are available in the community, there may not be many options, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families may disagree on the most important features in a home.

In 2019, The Arc partnered with CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership to better understand how people with I/DD and their families make decisions about where to live in the future if they are planning to leave the family home. We wanted to learn more about the process of searching for their next home. We also asked people about what they like and don’t like about their current home and where they would like to live in the future.

Read full report | Watch video