Biggert Bill to aid those with Disabilities: House Passes Bill to Renew and Improve Successful Supportive Housing Efforts
Washington, DC – July 22, 2009 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13) today secured House passage of bipartisan legislation to modernize and expand housing assistance and supports for those with severe disabilities, including mental illnesses. Introduced in March by Biggert, the lead GOP sponsor, and Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-CT-5), H.R. 1675, the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2009, passed with overwhelming support and now awaits Senate action.
“Times change, but this important program hasn’t been updated in over a decade and a half,” said Biggert, a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee. “Today’s legislation will ensure that non-profit sponsors can maximize the effectiveness of federal dollars and help more disabled people move into permanent housing and live as independent members of the community. I cannot thank enough all the volunteers, parents, and advocates who have worked hard to see this bill through the House.”
The bill reauthorizes through Fiscal Year 2010 the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 811 program, the only federal program that produces accessible and affordable supportive housing and vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities. It aligns the program with other federal, state, and local funding sources, allowing non-profit sponsors to more easily leverage additional capital through means such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit. It also simplifies more than 400 pages of guidelines and delegates grant authority to state and local housing authorities. Finally, the bill calls for a new demonstration project that is estimated to generate as many as 3,000 new units of low-income supportive housing.
“These reforms will help ease the burden on aging parents who are caring for adult children with developmental disorders, spinal cord injuries, and other severe disabilities,” said Biggert. “And it will provide those with special challenges an alternative to expensive, institutionalized care. Service providers like the Arc of Illinois, Trinity Services, and Cornerstone Services accomplish wonders here in Illinois, and I’m proud to support these efforts.”
“Year after year, our members worry whether there will be enough supportive housing to meet their needs,” said Angela Adkins, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of DuPage. “Expanding and improving the Section 811 program will help ease that strain and open the doors of independence to greater numbers of people living with severe mental and physical challenges. I applaud Congresswoman Biggert for her efforts, and hope that the Senate quickly sends this bill to the President’s desk.”
“This progressive legislation will benefit people with disabilities and support them in their community close to family and friends,” said Tony Paulauski, Executive Director of the Arc of Illinois. “We sincerely appreciate the leadership of Congresswoman Biggert on this bill.”
H.R. 1675 is similar to legislation, H.R. 5772, that passed the House last year but was not considered by the full Senate
