HB731

I am a favor of any legislation that makes it easier to provide the disability community with affordable and supportive housing. Andrew Brescia

I have an adult son who was born with disabilities. He is 31 years old now, living with his parents who are in their 60s, who wake up daily wondering what will happen when we are no longer here. Because NH lacks housing with support that will allow him, a citizen of the state, who himself does work, volunteers, to safely live out his life outside the family home and enjoy his own life with others like himself, its up to us to fight for them, him. He wants what any 31 year wants. It's due to a fault of nature he cannot. It is urgent something be done. Let's not make it harder on those trying to solve a problem, mostly families with their own adult children with disabilities, as NH has failed in this category. Make it easier to solve a problem that, by all rights a means, could land on the lap of the state system in another way in the future, and the outcome won't be as positive. The hard work is already being done, by the families, help them solve this problem, don't hinder it. You should be thanking them for tackling this urgent pending issue, as the state is not.

I am a single parent serving on the Board and as Housing Committee Chair for the non-profit Our Place NH, whose mission is to provide residential options, services and support designed to meet the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. We are dedicated to fostering growth and independence through vocational, social, and recreational opportunities. I personally have a passionate interest in finding housing solutions for adults with developmental disabilities. Two of my three adult children have a diagnosis of Down syndrome and live at home with me. Their Dad passed away from cancer seven years ago, which left me a single parent trying to meet the needs of two adults with very active lives. Both of them work, participate in Special Olympics, and attend a variety of social activities within the community on a weekly basis. Neither of them drive and they both require a certain level of support with daily life skills. It is a full-time job to support them in keeping their job, maintaining their friendships and social life, and ensuring they live fully and inclusively within the community they grew up in. This also ensures they also don’t live a life of loneliness and isolation or without purpose. I alone cannot sustain this level of support for them long-term as I age. Knowing that they could be part of a supported community with their peers gives me hope and a sense of security for their future. Making a priority of individuals with IDD, and their desire to fully participate and live as independently as possible within their communities, will also build better and more inclusive communities. We desperately need models for housing to help these adults with IDD reach this goal and achieve their full potential. Please support HB 731, as this bill will make it much more cost-effective for developers and builders to provide this type of critically needed inclusive housing throughout NH. . Thank you for reading and your time and consideration. Kindly, Peggy Mace Dover, NH

Very significant limitations on housing options for adults with developmental disabilities could be eased by passage of this bill, especially as there needs to be a significant increase in building more muiti-unit housing across the state, and particularly in our highest population zones.

As the aging parent of a 33 year old with IDD, I fully support this bill knowing that there will come a day when I can no longer provide the housing and support that he desperately needs. He deserves the support he needs and I deserve peace knowing that my loved one will be safe.

I support HB 731 because it will make it easier to create housing with supports for adults with developmental disabilities in NH. This is sorely needed for my 35 year old son and for so many others whose parents are aging.

This bill will make it easier to create supportive housing for adults with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities in New Hampshire. This is a critical need for some of our most vulnerable citizens. Thank you.

I am in favor of this bill because It will make it easier to create supportive housing for adults with IDD in NH. I am the mother of a 29 year old son with IDD.

Housing for people with IDD is critical as there are so few options that provide both independence and the necessary support. This bill will allow for developers and contractors to create supportive housing for adults with IDD.

The need for supportive housing for adults with developmental disabilities is greater than most people recognize. With the right supports, including having a safe place to call home, these individuals can thrive by working and being active members of the community. Please support this bill to protect the future of so many residents in need, and to allow their aging parents to live their own final years in peace knowing there are resources for their son/daughter after they are no longer here.

I am in favor of the bill because it will help make it easier to create supportive housing for adults with IDD in NH. I am the parent of an adult son with autism who will need supported housing. I am also working with Our Place NH to create supportive housing for NH residents with IDD.

I am in favor of the bill because it will help make it easier to create supportive housing for adults with IDD in NH. This is a very big need in NH and I request that the state provide as much support as possible for this important cause.

Dear Members of the Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee, I submitted this earlier as a document but for some reason it is unreadable, so I am resubmitting. Thank you! I am writing to you today to ask for your vote in favor of HB 731 which will make it possible for a new model of housing for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a board member of Our Place NH, whose mission is to provide supportive housing for adults with IDD, we have been working on creating an inclusive model of housing, one that has apartments for this specific population amongst others in our community. Our Place NH has been working with a developer who has created supportive housing in larger apartment settings in many states. He is interested in helping with the housing crisis in NH by creating a similar model here. This model would have 40-50 units and 25% of them would be for adults with IDD. There would be a common area for all tenants to gather and socialize creating an opportunity for friendship and inclusion. The tenants with IDD would have 24/7 staffing and services provided to them. The barrier to this development is that currently all apartments need to meet the licensure guidelines when in reality only a percentage of them need to. This barrier increases the cost of the building, making it unrealistic to develop. I am also the parent of a 32 year woman with Down Syndrome who lives with her father and I. This arrangement is working for now but as we age, we will not always be able to take care of her. Quite frankly, we are afraid that she will not have a secure, safe and supportive home before the inevitable happens. The model mentioned above would be a perfect option for many living with IDD needing or desiring to move out of their family home. I urge you to pass this bill, HB 731, so there are more supportive housing options for individuals with IDD. Thank you for your consideration! Sincerely, Maria Cousins Stratham, NH

My 24 year old son who has Autism lives at home with his father and I (both over 60). To live independently he needs and environment with significant support and oversight. There are very significant limitations on housing options for adults with developmental disabilities which could be eased by passage of this bill. Ideally there needs to be a significant increase in building more muiti-unit housing across the state, and particularly in our highest population zones.

Very significant limitations on housing options for adults with developmental disabilities could be eased by passage of this bill, especially as there needs to be a significant increase in building more muiti-unit housing across the state, and particularly in our highest population zones.

As a woman with a disability myself, I really can't begin to explain how much this bill will help the disability community within New Hampshire. Just one in every eight residents in this state have disabilities, and sometimes independent living isn't a viable option, and sometimes it isn't just about money, it's about accessibility. This bill will make it easier for people who work in housing and landlords to create accessible and affordable housing for the disability community, without having to upgrade their license, which could cost them even more money than they already do. I beg of you, please vote yes on this bill, on behalf of the disability community within the state. It's a small step forward to combating the systematic, structural, cultural, and teleological ableism in this state, if not the nation.