CHANCE

Origin of the Alliance Person-owned/controlled housing and personalized support have become part of the nation's agenda as grassroots efforts have challenged the standard way of providing services for people with developmental and other disabilities. Throughout the nation; individuals, advocates and innovative service providers have made significant moves from institutions and group homes to the creation of housing and support that permit all people, including those with the most intensive support needs, to live in homes of their own choosing. This trend is part of a broader shift away from traditional, agency-controlled services toward a focus on support resources that encourage personal control and full community inclusion.

On September 1, 1993, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) entered into a cooperative agreement with the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire to create a national information and technical assistance center on home ownership/control and personalized support. This agreement was a natural progression from the Home of Your Own demonstration projects funded by ADD to promote development of creative strategies for achieving home ownership. The National Home of Your Own Alliance was a partnership between the Federal government and nationally recognized advocates and leaders whose goal was to create housing and support opportunities that people choose and control.

The Alliance worked in 23 states building coalitions of housing and disability organizations led by individuals with disabilities, their families, friends and advocates. In addition to state technical assistance, the Alliance developed a national information clearing house in collaboration with the Center for Universal Design in North Carolina, United Cerebral Palsy Associations in Washington, D.C., Co-op Initiatives in Connecticut, the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University in Pennsylvania and the Human Services Research Institute in Massachusetts

The lessons learned from Home of Your Own initiatives around the country raised new possibilities for the creation of person-owned/controlled housing and support. These possibilities can only become national wide realities if local, state and national groups focus attention on the physical, economic, social and institutional barriers that exist.

A lack of personal financial resources and systemic dependence on programs that limit personal choices are two major barriers that deny basic opportunities and civil rights. The limited capacity to create innovative housing and support options and the limited involvement of people in these efforts are also barriers to person-owned/controlled housing and support.

Our goal was to create an infrastructure of exemplary practices and public and private sector partnerships which will link the home mortgage and social service industries to better serve people with disabilities.