Replay Zoom Video - Housing Roundtable II - Housing Projects - How do we get them started, approved, and moving? With Trish Albanese & Marilyn Jeffrey of Smokey Hollow - Syracuse, NY
Trish Albanese and Marilyn Jeffery of Smokey Hollow in Syracuse talked about their experience of ALMOST getting approvals for their project. We also had a great Question and Answer session. Enjoy!
Zoom Recording of Trish & Marilyn from March 15, 2024:
C4SD Playlist:
We are trying to have a little fun and inspiration along the journey, and our “Intro to Zoom Video” was Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - I Won't Back Down
Due to some editing issues, our intro to the Zoom got cut off. We featured - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - I Won't Back Down.
And we closed with:
Shlomo Artzi and Keren Peles
Translation by Ora Sucov:
How much we've been through, I remember white nights, a stormy sea, I don't need words in order to speak, speaking with a red moon, my heart froze in place, I don't need air in order to breathe, live the day, live the day because there is no other day.
...white nights, red moon, remember when the rain came and the fire didn't leave, so we ran like children looking for an answer, we couldn't find, but we are not lost, not lost, a small, crowded room, my heart is out of my body.
I don't need a sky to fly, promise me it's not over, I'm with you forever, and
I don't need a goodbye in order to remember when the rain came and the fire didn't leave.
So we ran like children looking for an answer we couldn't find, but we are not lost.
Otter Artificial Intelligence Translation Tool:
This is a new tool that we are trying. Not perfect but…here it is:
C4SD-Housing Initiative Round Table 2
Collaboration and inclusive decision-making were emphasized in disability services, with a focus on providing one-to-one supports while maintaining independence. Marilyn shared her personal experience with her son, Brett, who has severe autism, highlighting the importance of dignity and community integration. Maryland stressed the need for more affordable and accessible housing options. Advocating for inclusive housing legislation in New York State was discussed, with Speaker 3 highlighting the importance of having a lobbyist to work both ends of the legislative process. Speaker 4 raised concerns about the lack of focus on unemployment and housing options for individuals with disabilities, and Speaker 5 suggested that the DD Advisory Committee could benefit from having a dedicated chair or committee on housing.
Action Items
Trish Albanese - Share the CMS letter that allows integrated housing regardless of percentages with the group.
Participate with DDAC to advocate for housing policies.
Support Tom Abinanti's run for his old seat in Westchester.
Hire a lobbyist to advocate for housing legislation.
Each family to apply for housing subsidies individually for Smokey Hollow
Keep taking steps forward with Smokey Hollow plans.
Outline
Local initiatives with Tom Petty music in the background.
Trish and Marilyn share their initiative in advocating for "smoky hollow" and "Syracuse" with the host.
Creating a supportive living community for individuals with disabilities.
Trisha Albany's son Mike, 24, has autism and potential for thriving with proper support.
Speaker 2 discusses the idea of maximizing a housing subsidy to support people with disabilities, including the importance of privacy and dignity.
Speaker 2 highlights the challenge of sharing staff and resources, and the potential benefits of group living arrangements.
Smokey Hollow is a 1-story building with common areas for socialization and shared staff mobility.
Housing subsidies and advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Speaker 2 discusses their vision for an apartment complex for individuals with developmental disabilities, including a focus on independence and integration.
Speaker 2 describes challenges with collaborating with agencies and the 25% rule, which limits the number of residents with developmental disabilities in a dwelling.
Speaker 2 advocated for removing the 25% rule for personal care services in Medicaid, citing it as unenforceable and person-centered.
Speaker 2 and others pushed for legislation to align with federal goals and share their efforts in a Ddac webinar.
Speaker 2 expresses frustration with lack of housing subsidies and fear of shared housing, advocating for more individualized support.
Speaker 2 highlights the importance of organizations like Together Choice and DDAC in addressing these issues.
Advocating for legislation to support individuals with disabilities.
Speaker 3 explains how they worked with Tom Abbott, a parent with a child on the autism spectrum, to write legislation to make it easier for families to create appropriate housing for their children.
The legislation aimed to create a cooperative model for housing, where a board determines who gets to live in the building and ensure it remains dedicated to housing autistic individuals in perpetuity.
Tom, a former assemblyman, is running again for his old seat after a bill he sponsored passed unanimously in the assembly but failed in the senate due to a last-minute change by the senate sponsor.
The group is frustrated with the lack of progress on the bill despite putting in a lot of work, and they believe having a lobbyist would be beneficial to push the legislation through.
Disability rights and housing policies in New York State.
Speaker 2 highlights the issue of Opie W DD's threat to pull back on day-to-day service budgets for individuals with disabilities, leading to the need for legislation to protect their rights.
Speaker 3 explains that the original intent of fulfils was to provide a letter of approval for individuals with disabilities to show their landlords, but it has since evolved into a complex process for determining housing subsidies.
Speaker 2 expresses frustration with the lack of communication and transparency from the housing department, stating that they are not meeting with families or providing feedback on their proposals.
Speaker 4 clarifies that the legislative liaison, Greg Roberts, is not meeting with families and that the housing department is not providing any guidance or feedback on their proposals.
Advocating for disability rights.
Lawmakers rely on governors' influence to pass bills, but lack of support from state agencies can hinder progress.
Speaker 2 questions why legislation was needed if OPI W DD was threatening to pull daily service budgets for medically complex children.
Speaker 4 mentions that if nothing is done, they will continue to care for their children for free, which could lead to financial strain for CD pap.
Speaker 4 expresses frustration with lack of progress in advocating for people with disabilities, citing lack of support from state officials and legislators.
Speaker 3 highlights mismanagement of funds within the Office of Community and Home-Based Services (OCBDS), leading to inefficiencies and a lack of progress in addressing the needs of people with disabilities.
Inefficiencies in disability services and advocacy.
Advocate pushes for more focus on housing options for people with disabilities.
