November 9, 2005
The Honorable Mitt Romney
Office of the Governor
State House, Room 360
Boston, MA 02133
Dear Governor Romney:
United Disability Housing Partnership is a cross-disability coalition of groups and organizations dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for low-income and homeless individuals with disabilities. United Housing has 46 member organizations, representing well over 200,000 individuals across the state.
We are writing to you today to ask you to increase funding for the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP – Line Item 7004-9030) by $1 million, which would bring the total funding for the program to $4 million.
AHVP was established with broad, bipartisan support in 1995 to address the concerns of elders living with younger individuals with disabilities in state-funded public housing. The program provides rental assistance to low-income and homeless non-elderly disabled individuals, allowing them to afford housing.
According to a recent study by the Boston Foundation and the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), Boston has the highest housing costs in the country and Massachusetts is the second least affordable state in which to live. The struggle is even greater for disabled persons, as many rely almost exclusively on SSI for their income. The average SSI payment is far below the fair market rent of any community in the Commonwealth.
AHVP is extremely cost effective, costing the state less than $7,000 per year per voucher. Community based housing is far less expensive than the cost of emergency shelter, hospital, nursing home, or other institution.
Studies by the State of Connecticut and the University of Pennsylvania have shown that individuals who are stably housed have fewer medical emergencies and unscheduled hospital visits, are more likely to maintain employment, and are better able to adhere to medical treatment plans.
In 1995, AHVP was funded at $4 million annually to provide 800 housing vouchers. Since then, budget cuts have resulted in program reductions in the number of vouchers issued. Currently, AHVP receives $3 million annually, which funds approximately 415 vouchers.
Funding AHVP at $4 million would restore the program to its original funding level and would provide more than 150 new housing vouchers for disabled individuals.
For your information, we have enclosed a fact sheet that United Housing has prepared on AHVP.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important issue. If you or your staff would like more information about AHVP or disability housing in general, please contact Matt Noyes at mnoyes
ahc.org or 617-927-0088 x26.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Members of United Disability Housing Partnership
cc: Secretary Thomas Trimarco
cc: Director Jane Gumble