Moving From a Nursing Home to Own Home Thanks to Historic Agreement Between PHA and Liberty Resources
Posted on: Friday, 25 January 2008, 18:00 CST
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Philadelphia Housing Authority and Liberty Resources Inc. signed a first of its kind agreement today that will allow as many as 100 physically disabled men and women to move out of nursing homes and into their own apartments or homes.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080125/DC12479 )
Under the agreement, PHA will allocate 100 vouchers from its Housing Choice program. Liberty, which says it already has a waiting list of 75, will refer the clients to PHA and then help them locate apartments or houses that are wheelchair accessible.
"Life presents great challenges every day for men and women dependent on wheelchairs. We are proud to assist these courageous men and women in leading a more independent life in their own homes, rather than a nursing home," said Carl Greene, PHA executive director.
The PA Dept. of Public Welfare is funding 75 of the vouchers for the first two years of the program, PHA the other 25. After that, PHA will fund the entire 100. PHA will administer the program as part of its Housing Choice Voucher program.
PA Office of Long-Term Living Deputy Secretary John Michael Hall says the state will actually spend less on funding the special vouchers than it now does to pay for nursing home care. "It makes for great public policy when you improve the lives of these citizens and serve them with compassion, and save taxpayer dollars at the same time," Hall said.
It costs the state more than $70,000 per year to house a low-income disabled client in a nursing home. The cost of a voucher would come closer to $13,000.
For Liberty Resources, the agreement marks a great victory for the rights of the disabled. "The new level of collaboration between PHA and Liberty Resources will be a tremendous advantage to Philadelphians with disabilities who have long desired to move from nursing homes into their own accessible apartments in the communities of their choice. We are thrilled with today's meeting and moving forward together to meet the housing needs of the disabled community," stated Thomas Earle, CEO of Liberty Resources.
Liberty will help clients in their housing search and in obtaining additional funding from the state and or other sources for any necessary adjustments to the property to permit accessibility. PHA will review tenants with the same income and other background checks performed on all applicants for the voucher program.
PHA has established an extraordinary record in recent years of helping clients with disabilities. All new PHA developments far exceed the 5% federal requirement for wheelchair accessible units. Including all of its public housing sites, old and new, more than 7% of the homes are accessible. In the voucher program, it is up to the families to find a suitable unit. PHA then inspects the unit, and if approved issues the rent voucher.
PHA is a federally funded agency - the nation's fourth largest housing authority - serving 84,000 residents. The agency is a national leader in using innovative financing and best private market practices to plan and develop affordable housing for low and modest-income families.
Liberty Resources, Inc. is a non-profit, consumer driven organization that advocates and promotes Independent Living for persons with disabilities, to ensure their civil rights and equal access to all aspects of life in our community.
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080125/DC12479http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN7PHA Executive Director Carl Greene and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (TPA, 6/19/07)/Photo: NewPRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Philadelphia Housing Authority
CONTACT: Kirk Dorn of the Philadelphia Housing Authority,+1-215-684-4112, +1-215-704-3653 (m); or Wanda Odom, +1-215-893-4267,+1-610-470-5115, for Liberty Resources
Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire
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