The Community Living Initiative works to connect individuals with disabilities transitioning to community living with the accessible, affordable housing they require. Along with health, shelter is among the most basic human needs. If people can’t live in homes that meet their individual needs, they lack a vital element of independence.
There are major barriers to achieving success. Accessible, affordable housing is scarce and housing vouchers often do not reach those with the greatest need. Without addressing housing, there is only so much that innovative transition programs such as Money Follows the Person can accomplish.
The President’s Year of Community Living called for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to change this dynamic by building an unprecedented partnership at the federal level, and bringing together housing and human services agencies on the state and local levels. Following the lead of Secretaries Sebelius and Donovan, our agencies meet regularly and have identified and implemented a number of strategies to address this pressing need. Highlights include:
Learn more about the HHS Community Living Initiative.
Henry Claypool is Director of the Office on Disability at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services