2006 Governor's Race:
United Candidate Questionnaire
In early August, the United Disability Housing Partnership sent each of the six declared candidates for Massachusetts Governor a questionnaire focusing on major housing issues for persons living with disabilities.
The questionnaire covered four issues vital to the disability community: funding of rental assistance programs; proposed restrictions to the siting of disability housing programs; implementation of universal design and visitibility regulations; and the disposition of former state school and state hospital properties.
Read the candidates' responses on:
Read the questionnaire and candidates' responses in PDF
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- Housing costs in Massachusetts are among the
highest in the country. A disproportionate number of persons with
disabilities are low income, with many relying almost exclusively on
Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI provides monthly payments that are
wholly inadequate to afford fair market rent in any region of the
Commonwealth. The only way these individuals can afford a home is with some
sort of assistance, often times a rental voucher. Unfortunately, current
funding levels for state rental assistance programs are so low as to only
serve a small fraction of the total population in need.
- If elected, will you increase funding
for state rental assistance programs such as the Massachusetts Rental
Voucher Program (MRVP) and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP)
to more adequately address the housing needs of low-income and homeless
persons with disabilities?
Grace Ross: "Yes, I want to first fund the over 3,000 authorized MRVP's that are not being presently marketed to tenants in need. Then I want to phase in increases to return us to the numbers of (MRVP + AVHP) subsidies Mass was providing under Section 707 and ensure that tenants are not paying over a third of their income in rent."
Deval Patrick: "Yes. I support increased funding for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program and the Alternative Rental Voucher Program."
Chris Gabrieli: "As governor, I will seek to provide additional funding to programs like the MRVP. It is important to improve the quality of life for Massachusetts residents with disabilities, and ensuring access to appropriate housing is one important way to reach this goal."
Tom Reilly: "One of the most important challenges facing the Commonwealth, and one of my top priorities as Governor, will be to address our high housing costs and shortage of affordable housing. In addressing these important issues, I will consider in particular the needs of individuals with disabilities. For example, in working to increase the overall supply of affordable housing, I will strive to ensure that we create a range of housing models in locations accessible to transportation and services for individuals with disabilities. I also appreciate the importance of housing subsidies for low-income and homeless persons with disabilities, and would increase funding for the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) as Governor. In addition, the Special Initiative model has been successful, securing a federal match for a state investment in subsidized small-group or individual housing with support services for homeless and mentally ill individuals. I would look to support this model and expand it to better serve the larger community of individuals with disabilities.
At the federal level, I was pleased that the House rejected President Bush's irresponsible cuts to the HUD Section 811 program and hope that the Senate maintains or increases funding for this program. As Governor, I will work with our congressional delegation to try to secure increased federal funding for Section 811 and other programs that help provide housing opportunities for low-income and homeless individuals with disabilities, such as the Section 8 rental voucher program and HOPWA." - What other housing
policies will you propose to address the specific needs of the disability
community?
Deval Patrick: "I support a strong public-private partnership in order to expand the Massachusetts Housing Trust Fund. In my administration we will dedicate $40 million per year to funding. In addition, we will leverage state dollars by matching dollar for dollar up to $25 million of employer contributions to the Trust Fund.
In addition, as part of addressing the starter home goal, my administration will support the Massachusetts 'Soft Second' Mortgage Program with $5 million per year and work to expand the reach of the program throughout the state and to homebuyers making up to the area median income. The 'Soft Second' program has been a highly successful program to assist lower income first-time homebuyers."
Grace Ross: "I want to increase money for non-profit housing development; there are already over 100 Million worth of development in the pipeline waiting for state funding - as much of this housing as possible should be both done to green housing Specs (which bring down ongoing costs for renters and owners as well as helping our environment) and universal specs that make ability adaptations easy where needed. As well, my overall economic development plans will put more money into local communities for housing renovation among other things - which will overall loosen the housing markets and lower rental prices"
Chris Gabrieli: "I will encourage the restoration of funding to the Housing Stabilization Fund and the Capital Improvement and Preservation Fund, which will help keep older buildings in good, livable condition and, with the appropriate funding of the state's Affordable Housing Trust Fund and the Soft Second program, will make housing available to thousands of Massachusetts residents. In addition, I will look to improve home and community based care and living options for people with disabilities."
- If elected, will you increase funding
for state rental assistance programs such as the Massachusetts Rental
Voucher Program (MRVP) and the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP)
to more adequately address the housing needs of low-income and homeless
persons with disabilities?
- Recently, the communities of Worcester and
Framingham have proposed regulations that would restrict the siting of residences
offering supportive services to individuals with disabilities. These regulations
are in direct violation of existing federal and state law including the Fair
Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Dover Amendment, and the
Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. If enacted,
they would establish troubling precedents for the entire state.
If elected, will you publicly support the right of persons with disabilities to live in any community and speak against discriminatory local proposals that seek to limit housing choice?Deval Patrick: "Yes. In keeping with a lifetime commitment to civil and human rights and my work on these very issues as head of the civil rights division in the Justice Department, I will work proactively with local communities, housing advocates and others to provide housing choices and supportive services to individuals with disabilities everywhere."
Grace Ross: "Absolutely, in addition the governor's office is bully pulpit to raise and deal with diversity and discrimination issues. We have in our campaign leadership and will have in our administration leadership of people with disabilities. We can also use the resources of the state to deal with discriminatory practices."
Tom Reilly: "I believe that all communities should operate in compliance with our federal and state housing laws. As Governor, I will work to promote compliance with those laws."
Chris Gabrieli: "As governor, I would encourage local officials to work cooperatively with human service providers in the responsible siting of these residences, because I recognize the importance of enabling people to live in their communities. I will support the right of disabled individuals to live in the 'least restrictive environment' possible based upon his or her needs."
- Over the past several decades, the environmental
community has advocated successfully for State legislation that provides tax
incentives for developers who build housing under the "green model."
For persons with mobility impairments, particularly those who use wheelchairs, physical accessibility is a vitally important issue. If included during the initial construction phase, principles of universal design and visitability would add a negligible sum to total development costs and would allow new housing units to be easily modified for persons with disabilities. Additionally, implementing these design principles would allow residents to age in place, which would permit residents to remain in their homes rather than move to more expensive skilled nursing facilities.If elected, what incentives would you offer to developers to incorporate principles of universal design and visitability into new housing?
Grace Ross: "In working for environmental principles in housing design, it is also a question of government sponsored round tables to educate developers in green principles, the same is true of universal design principles. I would explore economic incentives but am more interested in funding to local housing authorities and other such agencies to have local advocates for housing for people with disabilities to help educate builders and landlords and advocate for residents with disabilities."
Deval Patrick: "This is a great idea that I have only recently begun to consider. Because design changes and accommodations can most easily and cost-effectively be made at the design stage, there is an important opportunity to assure that designers consider and implement these design enhancements at the outset. I am open to learning from you and others about what specific incentives to developers you feel would be the most successful ways to promote universal design and visitability in Massachusetts."
Chris Gabrieli: "I've laid out a plan that calls for working with the private sector to encourage green buildings and I will do the same in terms of universal design and visitability. I will also consider what incentives would be useful in getting developers to build housing with these goals in mind."
Tom Reilly: "I am very proud of my record as Attorney General of working to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to places of public accommodation, housing and public services. My work in this area is based on a basic principle: individuals with disabilities should be able to live with dignity and maximum independence, and should be celebrated for their enormous contributions to our economy and communities. Along similar lines, implementing the principles of universal design and visitability enables individuals with disabilities to independently access their own homes and the homes of their friends and family. This affirmation of basic dignity and independence is certainly something that we should seek to encourage. As Governor, I will reach out to the United Disability Housing Partnership and other stakeholders to discuss policies and incentives to promote these important principles."
- With the advent of more cost-effective, humane,
community-based services, it is now possible to consolidate former and current
state hospital and state school sites, which saves valuable tax dollars and
frees the sites for new uses. However, with large unmet housing needs for
Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Department of Mental Retardation (DMR)
clients, any state hospital or state school property that closes and is sold must
provide benefits for the people with disabilities that once used such facility.
If elected, will you support the timely disposition of these surplus state properties and the use of a portion of the land where housing is to be developed on site, or the use of proceeds from these sales to address housing needs of DMH and DMR clients? How will you accomplish this?Deval Patrick: "Yes. Disabled individuals and their families are increasingly seeing community care as the best choice. Massachusetts has made efforts and significant progress toward the rebalancing of the long term care system through support of community-based services, specifically through the funding of personal care attendant services and other creative uses of Medicaid funding. I will continue this progress. However, there is far more that needs to be done to fundamentally rebalance the system. Promoting integrated care systems that address both health care and social support, instituting a better system of "gate keeping" - making sure that only those that truly need care in facilities, regardless of their method of paying - and taking advantage of federal incentives and waivers that promote the least restrictive setting for care and give individuals a choice would provide options toward rebalancing the system."
Grace Ross: "This is an interesting revenue. I strongly support local and non-profit uses of these properties including development of affordable housing (again with a priority on green and universal design). I tend to oppose the use of public resources for private developers so that would effect the usefulness of this as a revenue stream through sale. A percentage put aside both o housing and economic uses of these properties for people with disabilities I am happy hereby to add to my commitments. We need to address a sufficient percentage as targets and set-asides. I welcome your input."
Chris Gabrieli: "Yes, I will support the timely disposition of surplus state properties and the appropriate use and development of such lands. Using the land to build housing for DMH and DMR clients seems like a great and responsible way to reuse this property, while filling a large need."
Tom Reilly: "As Governor, it will be my responsibility to ensure that the needs of individuals with disabilities are met in the highest-quality and least- restrictive settings possible. In light of this responsibility, I would be supportive of efforts to create small congregate care communities and consolidate large institutions to the maximum extent possible, as long as the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families remain paramount."