March 13, 2007
The Honorable Susan Tucker
Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Housing
State House, Room 424
Boston, MA 02133
The Honorable Kevin Honan
House Chair, Joint Committee on Housing
State House, Room 38
Boston, MA 02133
Dear Chairwoman Tucker and Chairman Honan:
The members of United Disability Housing Partnership would like to take the opportunity to express our strong support for the prompt passage and enactment of H. 2030 / SD. 1951, the Affordable Housing Bond Bill. We would like to thank the committee for their hard work on this important legislation and in particular express our gratitude for the inclusion of language that specifically allows Public Housing Modernization funds (7004-7011) to be used for modifications to make units and facilities accessible to persons living with disabilities.
United Housing is a cross-disability coalition of 60 member organizations dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for all persons living with disabilities. United Housing’s member organizations represent well over 250,000 individuals in Massachusetts.
Alongside affordability, one of the most significant barriers persons with disabilities face when searching for housing is a shortage of appropriate, accessible homes. In many regions of the Commonwealth, low income persons living with disabilities are simply unable to find housing that is safe, affordable, and accessible. Passage of the Affordable Housing Bond Bill will help address this problem by increasing the funds available to create not only new affordable housing, but also new affordable housing that is accessible to persons living with disabilities.
Because this committee has shown the foresight to include language relating to disability accessibility in the Public Housing Modernization section, passage of this legislation will allow and encourage local housing authorities to bring their units into compliance with both state and federal regulations, and will allow persons living with disabilities to be full members of the community through improved facility access.
Thank you again for your hard work on this legislation. United Housing looks forward to continuing to work with you to address housing issues facing persons living with disabilities in our state.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Members of United Disability Housing Partnership