CREJ

Page 34 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — February 2022 www.crej.com Affordable Housing H ousing that is designed to be cognitively accessible and supportive to adults with intellectual and/or develop- mental disabilities is referred to as neuro-inclusive housing. Adults with cognitive impairments such as Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other intellectual disabili- ties no longer have to live in a group home, congregate care or provider- controlled setting in order to access services. For decades, disability rights advocates have worked hard to make sure that their long-term support services, the Medicaid-funded help they need to live independently and access the community, do not have to be intrinsically tied to housing or their landlord. If adults with I/DD can find housing they can afford, they can then select a LTSS service provider they want to help them. With over 100,000 adults with I/DD in Colorado who live with their parents, and more than 20,000 of those par- ent caregivers being over the age of 60, the demand for neuro-inclusive housing is overwhelming and becom- ing more urgent. A recently published report, A Place in the World: Fueling Housing and Community Options for Adults with Autism and Other Neurodiversities, provides an extensive market guide for various properties that outline in detail the various design elements, supportive amenities and community resources that makes the property accessible for adults with I/DD. Neu- ro-inclusive properties do not need to be exclusive for just people with disabilities. On the contrary, the goal of neuro-inclusive housing should be to make housing and community opportunities accessible to people with neurodiversities, but also make housing better for neurotypical resi- dents as well. Local market analyses have been conducted in Den- ver and Aurora as well as Arapahoe and Douglas coun- ties to better under- stand the needs and preferences of this population in Colorado. The studies highlight the point that fear of isolation, loneli- ness, neglect and abuse are of high concern, while transportation and access to friends remain the largest barriers to community engagement. Although residents can select their LTSS service provider for their indi- vidualized services, properties also can incorporate “supportive ameni- ties” that benefit the well-being of all residents. The following supportive amenities were ranked as top proper- ty features selected by residents with I/DD or their families: • Free, planned weekly social activi- ties (movie night, hiking club, trivia, etc.); • Life skill classes (cooking classes, building healthy relationships, money management, etc.); • Extra security features (both through technology and in person); • Front desk with a community navigator to help answer questions and make community connections; • Resident assistant to be on site 24/7 for emergencies; and • Help with housekeeping. Beyond supportive amenities, there are design considerations that make housing more cognitively accessible or are related to having service pro- viders support residents with I/DD: • Pedestrian-oriented design that fosters soft social interactions and keeps people safe from traffic while allowing them to navigate the prop- erty independently; • Multipurpose space for social gatherings with a prep or teaching kitchen; • Office space where providers can do documentation and offer remote support to residents; • Easy-to-clean in-unit features; • Smart home technology that allows remote adjustments and monitoring; • A covered pickup/drop-off area where people can safely wait for their transportation; and • Biophilic design strategies for stress reduction and a more sensory- friendly environment. Funding from Medicaid for LTSS is prohibited from being used for room and board and must be individual- ized to the specific person or house- hold. Therefore, supportive amenities that are voluntary and benefit all residents currently are not paid for by Medicaid waivers and must either be paid out of pocket or provided by a partner who can fundraise to meet the demand. This population of people has been largely invisible as a deeply afford- able housing need, largely due to past requirements that people with I/DD needed to live in provider-controlled settings and the majority living in their family caregiver’s home. Thus, financial tools and funding opportu- nities do not target this population directly, yet. Existing programs can be used to meet the needs of this popu- lation. Although more adults with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other intellectual disabilities are being recognized as stellar employ- ees, they are primarily extremely low income and largely financially rely on Supplemental Security Income with limited minimum wage work as their living wage. Fortunately, some families do have the financial capac- ity to plan for the lifespan needs of their loved ones and often will set up a special needs trust to supplement their limited income. The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority has recognized the unique needs of this population and will soon be pub- lishing a white paper to describe its research and support to increase neuro-inclusive housing. Finding the right match with community-based organizations that have experience supporting people with I/DD to potentially provide supportive amenities is essential. A Colorado example is a project called 30 Pearl. Boulder Housing Partners worked with a local organization called Ramble on Pearl, which is pro- viding not only supportive amenities and services but also an apprentice- ship program at a social enterprise within the mixed-use, low-income housing tax credit development. Neuro-inclusive housing develop- ment is new to the affordable hous- ing marketplace, which presents some challenges but also offers the opportunity to design homes from a different perspective – making spaces and places more sensory-friendly and easy to maintain, fostering greater social cohesion of residents through supportive amenities, and providing the extra security for vul- nerable populations that may be at risk of being harmed or neglected. s A primer for building neuro-inclusive housing I don’t know where my family would be without the support and services that the housing authority offered,” said Tanya Rivera, single mom of four small children. “They helped us find a home for all of us and made my struggles a bit easier, so me and my kids wouldn’t have to wonder if we were going to have to survive on the streets during what is going on right now (the COVID-19 pandemic). I am truly grateful for the support and how they helped me and my kids.” Denver Housing Authority’s vision statement maintains that every individual or family shall have qual- ity and affordable housing in com- munities offering empowerment, economic opportunity and a vibrant living environment. This vision has remained intact throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, in which DHA worked to provide affordable hous- ing, safe and healthy communities and maintain thriving neighbor- hoods. In addition to the mandate of its charge to provide affordable hous- ing, DHA also provides myriad resident services. DHA services pro- mote education, employment, eco- nomic self-sufficiency, community building, youth development, aging in place and even homeownership. These services build DHA commu- nities and foster resident leader- ship skills, which in turn grow self- esteem and feelings of self-efficacy that lead to creating communities that reflect the needs, desires and ideas of our resi- dents. All these efforts build social capital and build better communi- ties for Denver. In short, the Denver Housing Authority is in the business of creat- ing homes and ele- vating families to fulfill their dreams and become self- actualized. n Keeping residents safe during the pandemic. During the pandemic, DHA forged ahead in delivering for our residents, staff and the commu- nity at large. Below are some con- crete ways DHA stayed the course in a time of turbulence: • Delivered more than 22,000 boxes of food to residents; • Delivered COVID-19 care pack- ages to all public housing units; • Received $58,000 in COVID-19 support donations and grants; • Received $160,000 for holiday gift cards for children in 2020; • Received $145,000 for holiday gift cards for children in 2021; and • Launched Wellness Wednesdays for staff, which provides health engagement events, information, resources and ongoing COVID-19 safety procedures. n Elevating soft skills and mastery. The services that DHA provides to residents are dependent on the staff, their skills and mastery. The DHA team evolved, grew, learned and mastered new skills to assist the agency and residents daily. • Fourteen employees received virtual Leadership Training certifi- cates. • Five employees received virtual Master’s Training certificates. • DHA developed a cybersecurity program to combat against external cyber threats. • The authority increased the executive communications team to accommodate increased messaging and awareness for residents, part- ners and all DHA constituents. n Growing our partnerships in busi- ness. DHA is the first of its kind to create social business enterprises and foster these partnerships. These partnerships have cre- ated educational opportunities for youths and created jobs in Denver communities. Additionally, these enterprises are becoming a model across the nation for responding to needs in our communities and cre- Denver Housing Authority offers more than housing Desiree Kameka Galloway Lead consultant, Neuro-Inclusive Housing Solutions LLC David Nisivoccia Executive director, Denver Housing Authority “ The Gateway Apartments in the Sun Valley neighborhood is a Denver Housing Authority project. Please see Nisivoccia, Page 36