Appendix
1
HomeChoice/
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILTIES
Fannie
Mae and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force, in
partnership with the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC), are working together to
publish a policy report that will assess the capacity of non-profit organizations to
expand affordable housing opportunities for people with disabilities. Specifically, we are
interested in your efforts to combine resources within a structured coalition - such as a
Home of Your Own or HomeChoice coalition – and to engage affordable housing
organizations, and government housing officials to expand rental housing and homeownership
opportunities for people with disabilities. As you know, people with disabilities are
experiencing a serious affordable housing crisis and, because of their low incomes, are
among those most in need of housing assistance. Despite these needs, people with
disabilities often do not benefit from government housing programs.
To
help us collect information for this report, TAC is seeking your assistance in completing
the survey questions listed below. The questions are designed to help us assess the
experience and capacity of disability community to work collaboratively with local housing
officials, lenders, and providers to expand housing options for people with disabilities.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation. NOTE: Please
return the completed survey in the enclosed stamped envelope by August 18, 1999
1. Full
name of your organization: ____________________________________________
q HomeChoice
Coalition representative?
q Home
of Your Own (HOYO) Coalition representative?
q Other:
(please
specify)
________________
4. What
types of agencies participate in your coalition?
q Private
Lenders
q Housing
Finance Agencies
q State
Disability Agencies
q Housing
Counseling Agencies
q Real
Estate Companies
q Educational
Institution
q Non-profit
Housing/Community Development Agency
q Public
Housing Authority
q Private
Social Service Providers
q Credit
Counseling Agencies
q Family
or Advocacy Organizations
q Individuals
with Disabilities
q Other:
(please specify) ___________________________
5. In
your opinion, what organizations are currently missing from your coalition
that would be valuable additions?
6. To
date, how many people have become homeowners through your program?
7. How
many of these people were: (please insert number)
Under
30% of Area Median Income
_______
Between
30-50% of Area Median Income
_______
Between
50 and 80% of Area Median Income
_______
Over
80% of Area Median Income
_______
8. Do
you offer assistance with down payment and closing costs?
q
Yes
q
No
9. What
funding resources are accessed to assist people with disabilities with down payment and
closing costs?
10. How do people with
disabilities who are working with your coalition access housing counseling services in
your community?
11. What
other services are leveraged through the coalition?
q
Legal
Services for buying a home (i.e., closing services)
q
Inspection
Services
q
Home
Modification Services/Funding
q
Case
Management and Support Services
q
Other:
(please
specify)
_________________________
____________________________________________
12. In
your opinion, what, if any, additional services are needed to facilitate the movement of
persons with disabilities towards homeownership?
13. Please
check the THREE
primary barriers to increasing the number of people with disabilities in your
community buying homes.
q
High
cost of homes in the community
q
Lack
of interest of real estate brokers
q
Lack
of funds for home modifications
q
Lack
of savings of buyers
q
Poor
credit histories of buyers
q
Buyers
income is too low
q
Lack
of funding to supplement the buyer’s savings for down payment and closing costs
q
Interest
rate of Fannie Mae HomeChoice Mortgage
q
Lack
of good quality, decent, and safe housing in your community
q
Interest
rate of other mortgage products offered by lenders in your community
q
Lack
of housing counseling programs
q
Lack
of housing counseling programs designed to meet the needs of buyers with disabilities
q
Lack
of affordable legal support and services
q
Lack
of affordable home inspection services
q
Other:
(please
specify ____________________
14. Are there additional
barriers, such as current funding restrictions or government policies, that make it
difficult for people with disabilities to participate in homeownership programs in your
area?
15. Do you have any
suggestions for improving the Fannie Mae HomeChoice mortgage product?
STRATEGIC
PLANNING
16. Has
your coalition participated in state/local strategic planning processes in your community
- including the HUD-mandated Consolidated Plan process - that control the allocation of
federal housing resources?
q
Yes
q
No
17. Has
your coalition obtained HOME/CDBG funding to directly benefit HOYO or HomeChoice program
participants?
q
Yes
q
No
18. Are
you aware that Section 8 certificates and vouchers may also be used for homeownership in
the near future?
q
Yes
q
No
19. Are
you aware of the Section 8 set-aside programs for persons with disabilities including the
Section 8 Mainstream program?
q
Yes
q
No
20. Has
your coalition met with the Public Housing Agency in your locality to discuss expanding
housing opportunities for people with disabilities by using Section 8 for homeownership or
administering a Section 8 program for persons with disabilities?
q
Yes
q
No
21. In
your opinion, is housing for people with disabilities a priority for the following
government officials in your area?
|
High Priority |
Medium Priority |
Low Priority |
Not
a Priority |
Chief
Elected Official (i.e., governor, mayor) |
|
|
|
|
Public
Housing Authority |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Community Development Agency |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Mental Health Agency |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Agency |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Public Health/Community Health Agency |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Rehabilitation Commission |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Veterans Affairs |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Housing Finance Agency |
|
|
|
|
State/Local
Alcohol and Drug Treatment Agency |
|
|
|
|
Other:
(please specify) |
|
|
|
|
COALITION
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
22. Do
you feel that your coalition needs capacity building or technical assistance to engage
housing officials that control resources that could to expand affordable housing
opportunities for people with disabilities in the future?
q
Yes
q
No
23. If
yes, what are the specific housing technical assistance needs of your coalition?
q
Assistance
organizing the disability community to respond to housing issues in your locality
q
Assistance
engaging local housing officials concerning the housing needs of people with disabilities
q
Assistance
to expand the availability of Section 8 and other rental subsidies for people with
disabilities
q
Assistance
with affordable housing production and finance activities
q
Assistance
learning about “best practices” to expand housing for people with disabilities
q
Assistance
involving the disability community in the development of strategic planning documents such
as the Consolidated Plan
q
Other:
(please
specify)
______________________________
Is
there any other information that you think would be helpful to us in this survey?
Name:
Organization:
Phone:
Position:
Please
feel free to attach program materials that describe your HOYO or HomeChoice
Thank
you again for your time and cooperation. If you have any questions, or would like further
information concerning this survey, please contact Ann O’Hara, Sarah Gump, or Emily
Miller at TAC at (617) 742-5657. TAC staff
can also be reached by sending e-mail to info@tacinc.org.