WASHINGTON, Sept 16, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- ADAPT wasted no time challenging Policymakers on the housing crisis for persons with disabilities with low incomes. After setting up a tent city at HUD headquarters, ADAPT sent 100 activists to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) offices in Washington, D.C., and another hundred to a Sen. John McCain campaign office in Arlington, VA. ADAPT presented a platform for affordable, accessible housing.
"The DNC was cordial, and accepted our housing platform, and invitation to visit 'DUH City,' which is HUD spelled backwards," said Barb Toomer, Utah ADAPT. HUD told us they had no authority to make decisions. We have to wait for the administrative appointees to make any decisions. Sen. John McCain's campaign staff not only refused to even look at our housing platform, they had eleven of us arrested."
ADAPT's housing platform points to America's growing crisis in the availability of affordable, accessible integrated housing. Many people with disabilities live on benefits that are a full 25% below the poverty level and less than the national average rent for a studio/efficiency apartment.
"The federal government is sending stimulus payments to middle class workers, and providing economic relief for the mortgage crisis, and maybe even the banks," said Dawn Russell, Denver ADAPT. "What about us who live on fixed incomes? If we can't afford housing, we'll end up on the street or forced into institutions. What are the federal government, Congress, and the presidential candidates going to do to help us with our housing crisis?"
ADAPT is asking for:
* 5000 new housing vouchers per year for 10 years, targeted to people
transitioning out of nursing homes and other institutions;
* Twice as much funding for the construction of new housing stock that is
affordable, accessible and integrated;
* Policies and procedures to track the vouchers to assure targeting to
people with disabilities when the original user becomes ineligible;
* People with disabilities who reside in institutional settings to be
recognized as "homeless."
ADAPT's DUH City will remain in operation twenty four hours a day until Thursday, September 18. The DUH City Times will be delivered daily to every member of Congress, and there will be daily DUH TV coverage on YouTube. Background information, real stories of real people and photos can all be accessed at http://www.duhcity.org.
Contacts: Randy Alexander (901)359-4982 Marsha Katz (406)544-9504
SOURCE ADAPT
Any questions may be directed to: rsi5@srt.com
The House acted last week to pass the Senate version, clearing it for final enactment. The bill would temporarily extend the 7-year SSI eligibility period for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants (including victims of human trafficking) to 9 years for the period October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2011. In order to qualify for the extension, certain noncitizens would be required to sign a declaration indicating that they have made a good faith effort to pursue U. S. citizenship. The 2-year extension would also apply retroactively to those noncitizens whose SSI had previously ceased due to the expiration of the 7-year period. The legislation would be effective October 1, 2008, with the 9-year eligibility period reverting back to a 7-year period after September 30, 2011. A more detailed summary of the bill is available on the Social Security Administration’s website:
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