Q1. Welcome and information about our work and advocacy #HousingAccess4All 

A1.1 DRC is the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities. Mission-To advance the rights, dignity, equal opportunities, & choices for all people with disabilities. visit: www.disabilityrightsca.org #HousingAccess4All

A1.1 The Kelsey accelerates & advocates for housing where people with & without disabilities, of all incomes & backgrounds, can live & thrive together. We do this thru housing development coupled w/ advocacy & field building. Learn more: https://www.thekelsey.org/strategy #HousingAccess4All

A1.1 Housing CA is the voice in the state Capitol for children, seniors, families, ppl experiencing homelessness & everyone who needs a safe, stable, affordable & accessible place to call home in a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous community. www.housingca.org #HousingAccess4All

Q2. How has the affordable housing crisis impacted you and/or your loved ones with disabilities? #HousingAccess4All

A2.1 DRC helps almost 25,000 people annually; our clients identify housing as a priority. About 1 in 6 renter households w/ the most severe rent burden or inadequate housing include a nonelderly person with disabilities. #HousingAccess4All

A2.2 People with disabilities are exceptionally vulnerable to displacement due to inadequate eviction protections and the scarcity of accessible housing to move to. #HousingAccess4All

A2.3 Because finding housing that is accessible & affordable is difficult, many tenants with disabilities are stuck, fearing retaliation if they request reasonable accommodations that allow them to remain in their homes. #HousingAccess4All

A2.1 People with disabilities live in poverty more than 2x the rate of people without disabilities and are less able to afford an apartment or other housing, have disproportionate rates of homelessness (approx. 40% of unhoused people are disabled) and increased rate of institutionalization & congregate settings. #HousingAccess4All

A2.2 In 2019, @TheArcUS & @TheCQL released “There’s No Place Like Home” study that helps us understand how people with I/DD & their families make decisions about housing #HousingAccess4All https://futureplanning.thearc.org/pages/learn/where-to-start/deciding-where-to-live/housing

A2.3 Clearly this housing crisis impacts the Disability community, disproportionately people of color w/ disabilities. No matter what, we must always be led + guided by those w/ lived experience! Share your housing story with us! https://bit.ly/ShareYourHousingStory #HousingAccess4All

A2.1 It's critical to listen & learn from those most impacted. That’s why we’re proud to lead @ResidentsUnited Network organizing ppl historically excluded from decisionmaking tables to advance housing/homelessness solutions. Get RUN updates https://bit.ly/368WpYc #HousingAccess4All

Q3. What are common myths and misconceptions about affordable housing and housing for people with disabilities? #HousingAccess4All 

A3.1 Myth: Affordable, accessible housing is easy to find. Truth: Affordable housing is not easy to find. It is even harder for people with disabilities who need accessible features like grab bars or visual smoke alarms. #HousingAccess4All

A3.2 MYTH: People experiencing homelessness are service resistant. #HousingAccess4All

A3.3 TRUTH: Many people experiencing homelessness have disabilities & services and programs will not accommodate their disabilities. With accommodations, utilization rates exceed the shelter beds & services available. #HousingAccess4All

A3.1 Through both our advocacy and housing development work, we encounter dangerous assumptions about people with disabilities and their housing needs. As a part of #AffordableHousingMonth, we’ve launched a series of myths to debunk. Here are a couple:

A3.2 MYTH: People w/disabilities prefer to live at home w/their parents. TRUTH: They don’t, a 2019 national housing study @TheArcUS found 79% of adults w/ I/DD surveyed want to live in their own homes. #HousingAccess4All

A3.3 MYTH: People w/disabilities can’t live on their own. TRUTH: Adults w/disabilities can live independently but have limited affordable housing options, face accessibility barriers or don’t get the supports they need. #HousingAccess4All

A3.1 MYTH: Affordable housing concentrates poverty and reduces opportunity by putting 1000s of poor people in the same place. #HousingAccess4All

A3.2 TRUTH: Nonprofit housing developers play a key role in producing #AffordableHomes using the best architects + cutting edge design, often near transit, job centers & other amenities. #HousingAccess4All

A3.3 We’re proud to partner with developers like @mutual_matters @selfhelpent @maac_1965 @vhbofca @abodesweethome & regional orgs @nphanc @scanph @sdhftweets @calruralhousing @ebho_housing. #HousingAccess4All

Q4. COVID19 is disproportionately impacting people with disabilities, people of color, and people who are unhoused. How should we be responding to COVID19 with a lens of equity and inclusion? #HousingAccess4All

A4.1 Different structures & institutions have left people of color, people with disabilities, & people of color with disabilities without an adequate safety net, & we must address those long-term inequalities. #HousingAccess4All

A4.2 People often belong to & identify with multiple groups, so we must broaden collaboration - work with disability-based organizers as well as neighborhood-based groups, environmental justice groups, & tenants unions. #HousingAccess4All

A4.3 One way we practice inclusion is through trainings, so people can advocate for themselves. Check out our COVID-19 & Evictions Webinar, co-hosted by @_CFILC and @DONetworkorg https://tinyurl.com/yanbd3gk #HousingAccess4All

A4.4 And get information from our COVID-19 and housing here: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/post/coronavirus-housing #HousingAccess4All

A4.4 Check out just some of the advocacy we have been doing with homelessness and housing groups like @Western_Center and @CRLAFoundation to fight for an equitable COVID-19 response: https://tinyurl.com/y9m9ujfo #HousingAccess4All

A4.5 Often, POC experiencing homelessness are held to higher standards to maintain services because of bias & stereotype. We need more due process to counteract this. #HousingAccess4All

A4.1 We're bridging housing & disability response+ recovery efforts so that housing advocacy is disability inclusive & disability advocacy includes housing. Our approach must be cross-disability, intersectional,& reject the scarcity mindset. DM for more info #HousingAccess4All

A4.2 In order for #COVID19 response & recovery to be equitable & inclusive - people with disabilities & those with lived experiences w/ homelessness & housing instability must directly inform solutions. #HousingAccess4All

A4.3 Shout out to @NLIHC, @TheArcUS, @NAMICommunicate, from @ccd4pwd Housing Task Force, just released FAQ: Housing Needs of PWD during COVID19; which helps to summarize key info & asks! #HousingAccess4All https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/FAQs_Disabilities.pdf

A4.1 Listen to & collaborate with those most impacted by the housing and public health crises: low-income communities, communities of color, & people with disabilities. #HousingAccess4All

A4.2 Provide deeply affordable housing for people in poverty and experiencing homelessness, and do affirmative marketing. #HousingAccess4All

A4.3 Protect vulnerable communities from unintended consequences like displacement. #HousingAccess4All

A4.4 Open up communities that have traditionally excluded affordable housing - near good jobs, good schools, services, amenities... #HousingAccess4All

Q5. What are current local, CA, or national housing protections, resources, and/or policy developments that benefit and include people with disabilities? #HousingAccess4All

A5.1 DRC is asking for the state to make changes to the California Building Code, which would lead to more affordable accessible housing! Thanks @housingca & @TheKelseyMore for supporting! https://tinyurl.com/yc86cnu5 #HousingAccess4All

A5.2 This year, @CalDFEH’s long-awaited fair housing regulations became effective. They clarify tenants’ right to reasonable accommodation with key examples. Check them out here: https://tinyurl.com/ydylf5qf #HousingAccess4All

A5.3 @California_HCD is updating its Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing. You have a few days to comment on what barriers to integrated housing you and other people with disabilities face. https://tinyurl.com/y7pcqdol #HousingAccess4All

A5.4 The City of LA settled a lawsuit and committed $200 million to build 4,000 affordable accessible housing units. @ILCSC CALIF FHCSFV, @RelmanLaw @DisabilityRLC David Geffen Law https://tinyurl.com/y76wu867 #HousingAccess4All

A5.5 MHSA Full Service Partnership, Medi-Cal Whole Person Care & Health Homes, are underutilized programs that provide necessary health care services & wrap around services which include housing. #EndHomelessness #HousingAccess4All

A5.1 HUD811 has been the primary tool specifically funding housing for ppl w/ disabilities in the community. It’s been successful in getting projects developed in some places but hasn't been rolled out or invested in at the level this need deserves & requires. #HousingAccess4All

A5.2 Understanding housing for PWD includes understanding home&community based services (HCBS), & HCBS Final Settings Rule, which requires Medicaid funded HCBS to be in the most integrated setting! Learn w/@autselfadvocacy’s resources https://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/hcbs/ #HousingAccess4All

A5.3 Policy developments like Money Follows the Person (MFP), provides states with enhanced federal matching funds for services and supports to help seniors and people with disabilities move from institutions to the community! #HousingAccess4All

A5.1 We're co-leading a $2B homelessness budget ask that has a req to serve chronically homeless individuals, defined as including a disability. This will ensure inclusion of people historically underserved by programs. https://bit.ly/3dSitJh #HousingAccess4All

Q6. Who's innovating in this field that you're most excited about (tag them or link articles!) and where can there be more innovation? #HousingAccess4All 

A6.1 Access to community + supports is critical when meeting housing needs of people w/ disabilities. Let's support & learn from mutual aid efforts, like @disabilityjust1 run by & for Disabled Black Indigenous People of Color! Check out http://inthesetimes.com/article/22427/disabled-queer-activists-isolation-mutual-aid-bay-area-covid-19 #HousingAccess4All

A6.2 Best innovation includes user input! Innovative ideas in design, service-links, & community supports @ The Kelsey Ayer Station @sjcityhousing were generated in focus groups where ppl w/+o disabilities shared their ideas/needs www.thekelsey.org/ayerstation #HousingAccess4All

A6.3 We also see innovation in how @DSTNHome approaches advocacy, direct service delivery & how they bring together public & private capital (MONEY) to end homelessness & build supportive housing in Silicon Valley #HousingAccess4All

A6.4 The greatest innovation happens when cross sector stakeholders convene! We’re proud of the continued, stakeholder generated, innovation that came from ‘Together We Can Do More’ Initiative funded by @ChanZuckerberg. Learn more https://www.thekelsey.org/togethermore #HousingAccess4All

A6.1 Big ideas are out there re changing the way we do housing in this country & provide affordable homes for all. Ex: provide housing vouchers to all eligible households + significantly expand affordable housing supply. Couldn’t agree more https://nyti.ms/2LCFWSr #HousingAccess4All

Q7. CAs Roadmap HOME 2030 is an initiative to develop & implement a “Marshall Plan” for statewide housing & homelessness solutions. What solutions must be included so all people have equal access to affordable, accessible, & inclusive housing? #HousingAccess4All https://roadmaphomeca.org/ 

A7.1 People with disabilities are too often evicted. We must eliminate loopholes in the law that allow property owners to evict people for reasons related to the symptoms of their disabilities. #HousingAccess4All

A7.2 We must expand, strengthen, and enforce requirements that deeply supportive services are available onsite or nearby affordable accessible housing. #HousingAccess4All

A7.3 Land use and zoning are critical to helping eliminate the harmful effects of institutionalization and segregation. We need stronger enforcement of the laws prohibiting discrimination in that area. #HousingAccesss4All

A7.1 We believe housing solutions need to explicitly be disability inclusive(one day, we hope this isn’t necessary but for now it is). Roadmap HOME 2030 must explicitly include state investment in creating affordable, accessible, integrated housing stock. #HousingAccess4All

A7.2 Since closure of state-funded institutions +the ongoing decrease in congregate settings, CA never invested in community-based integrated, affordable, accessible housing. CA's programs like Multifamily Housing Program could fund more of this housing #HousingAccess4All

A7.3 Equal access requires equal input! This means Roadmap HOME 2030 must bring together different voices and perspectives to create housing options that meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness & those with disabilities, in all their diversity. #HousingAccess4All

A7.1 Housing CA and @CHPCnews are working w/experts like @DisabilityCA to shape #RoadmapHOME2030. We’re asking advocates, service providers, affordable housing developers & ppl w/lived expertise for bold solutions. Send your ideas to info@roadmaphomeca.org #HousingAccess4All

Q8. There is a need for the disability rights community and the housing/homelessness advocacy community to work together more. In what ways would you like to see disability rights and housing/homelessness communities work closer together? #HousingAccess4All

A8.1 Let's talk, organize, and build community together! #HousingAccess4All

A8.1 More coordinated policy efforts that help to elevate and strengthen the affordable housing and homeless and the Disability rights and advocacy fields. #HousingAccess4All

A8.2 Our communities can work together by creating opportunities to collaborate. We’re excited to support people with disabilities to become pro-housing advocates- a perfect opportunity for more collaboration! Stay tuned, we will be launching a webinar series! #HousingAccess4All

A8.1 Have these conversations. Tell us how housers can help advance disability rights - we’re listening. Craft & push game-changing housing/homelessness legislation together. Support our bills and budget asks at https://bit.ly/2AwsygD. #HousingAccess4All

Q9. We're coming to the end of our chat! What questions or curiosities do you still have about the intersection of affordable housing and disability? Your answers will help us inform how we continue to forge new partnerships and innovations! #HousingAccess4All

A9.1 Thanks for joining us! Always remember, Nothing about us without us! #HousingAccess4All

A9.1 Thank you for joining us for this #twitterchat for #AffordableHousingMonth! On May 27th at 4pm PST, we’re hosting our Inclusion Hour w/@jimbealljr discussing Housing, Disability, specifically Mental Health--join us! #HousingAccess4All https://bit.ly/MayInclusionHour

A9.1 We're still learning how ableism influences all our work & looking to our partners to help us move the needle on ensuring disability is at the table. What housing solutions matter the most? What policy changes do you want to see? How can we show up as allies? #HousingAccess4All