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Reader Survey — Page 7
Inside Next Innovations — p. 9
Volume 10, Number 8
SOURCES
August 10, 1999
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“One of the great measures of a people is its culture.” — Paul Robeson
RESOURCES
August 10, 1999
‘HOMECHOICE’ PROGRAMS Home Buying Made Easier For People With Disabilities by Amy Farrar
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ADAPT protesters rally at Supreme Court
“Options” For Independence by Jay Johnson
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ptions: Interstate Resource Center for Independent Living is a community based, consumer controlled non-profit organization that was established in East Grand Forks, MN in 1986. Options’ mission is to help people with disabilities (of all disabilities and all ages), to live as independently as possible in the community of their choice and to eliminate environmental barriers of attitude, architecture and communication. The mission appears energetic but becomes overwhelming when you find out that Options’ service delivery area encompasses 18,000 square miles of two states and two separate federal regions. Options was one of the first true interstate centers for independent living in the United States. It made no sense, with population concentrations so close to the border, to have two centers. Even though
both states see Options as one center that serves eight counties of northwestern Minnesota and eight counties of northeastern North Dakota, the Federal Government will only recognize Options as two distinct centers. Independent Living services at Options have a very simple foundation, the Independent Living philosophy. Options’ board and staff have developed and adopted philosophical tenets and service principles that are reviewed and modified every year. These are the core value system by which all decisions are made. These include consumer control; equal rights; integration; consumer need-based, individualized services; community-based services; self-determination; least restrictive environment; equal opportunity and equal responsibility. The core services: independent living skills training, infor-
mation and referral, peer counseling, and advocacy are provided by trained staff, a majority of whom possess a disability. People with disabilities helping people with disabilities to live independently is what it is all about. At Options the consumer always comes first. When somebody walks or wheels in the door and needs help, staff first help the individual identify the barriers to independent living and then work with them to help identify acceptable solutions. Staff are then available for support, encouragement, skills training or information as individuals choose and apply possible strategies to break down the barriers to their independence. This does not mean that the staff do it for people, but rather that the staff help people learn how to do it for themselves. The standard medical model of service delivery supports
Options - cont. on p. 6
uying a home can be a long, daunting task for anyone. For an individual with a physical or mental disability, additional obstacles in the form of income level, money for a down payment, and credit history can make acquiring a mortgage even more of a challenge, especially in the midst of the current tight housing market. Arc Minnesota is trying to alleviate the situation through its participation in HomeChoice, a unique lending program designed specifically to assist people with disabilities in purchasing homes.
home ownership, meeting with the bank, and answering any questions that arise once the mortgage has been approved.
HomeChoice began as a national program in 1997, however it was launched in Minnesota during the second half of 1998 when Arc applied to the Federal Mortgage Association (commonly referred to as Fannie Mae) to participate in the HomeChoice demonstration project. Minnesota was selected among 17 states for inclusion in the project, the goal of which is to determine if making the loan process more flexible will increase home ownership among people with disabilities and their families. Once selected, Arc received funds totaling approximately $160,000 from the Saint Paul Companies, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae, Firstar Bank, and the state legislature to administer the program.
Dennis Collins is Arc Minnesota’s HomeChoice consultant and head of the Home Choice Coalition, composed of a number of nonprofit agencies and government departments representing many types of disabilities. He said it is important that applicants entering the program have expectations that are compatible with their income level; however he emphasized that if they do not qualify for the program, he can help them search for other mortgage programs that may be more suitable for them. “Our goal is to help people with disabilities become home owners,” he said. “We strive to find whatever fits our clients’ [needs] best.”
The three-year program is underwritten by Fannie Mae and administered locally by Firstar Bank. It provides funding to disabled persons for costs such as down payments and assists home buyers through the entire process of purchasing a home, from the initial application, to attending educational classes on
To qualify for HomeChoice, either the applicant or a member of their household must be physically or mentally disabled as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Borrowers must also attend classroom training on home ownership that involves oneon-one counseling. Participants receive a home buyer’s certificate, whether the purchase is their first home or not.
Collins is the first point of contact for people inquiring about the program and, among other duties, assists with determining an applicant’s eligibility. He said the Home Choice program lowers some of the typical barriers for disabled persons wishing to purchase a home. For example, lending institutions may restrict mortgages based on type and level of income (e.g.,
Social Security, SSI, food stamps, etc.). And benefit programs like Social Security and Medicaid have strict limits on the amount of assets people can have and still remain eligible for these benefits. “In the midst of a tight housing market, it’s hardest for people with the least money,” said Collins. HomeChoice has a variety of methods for coping with these difficulties. HomeChoice’s entry cost assistance programs provide funding for down payments and closing costs, to a maximum of $8,000, depending on the individual program, the applicant’s county, and their particular disability. Home Choice also considers alternative payment histories and accepts “in kind” categories of income, such as transportation passes. Entry cost assistance is available in the form of interest-free loans and grants. Individuals participating in the HomeChoice program work within a support team that consists of two to six members and may be composed of family members, friends, neighbors, social workers, and/or co-workers. The support team must agree to assist participants with home ownership questions and issues. One member is designated as a primary team member. S/he attends meetings with the borrower, from the initial meeting with the bank to the closing. The primary team member also serves as a back-up contact point should something go wrong post-mortgage (e.g., payments are not being received by the lender) and the borrower cannot be reached.
Home - cont. on p. 9