Special to IFN
RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services recently launched the North Carolina Strategic Housing Plan to help maintain, increase and better utilize affordable supportive housing for people with disabilities across the state.
This plan addresses housing needs for individuals with disabilities, including those who are currently receiving or eligible for NCDHHS-funded services as well as those who are experiencing homelessness, currently residing in congregate settings or at risk of entry into these settings.
Access to stable housing and other social determinants of health play an important role in a person’s overall well-being. Safe, quality, affordable housing and the supports necessary to maintain it are essential to whole-person health. This plan serves as a strategic guide over the next five years to focus policy efforts and decision-making toward creating and maximizing community-based housing options and supports for people with disabilities. These efforts build upon NCDHHS’ Olmstead Plan (now available in Spanish) and Transitions to Community Living and Money Follows the Person initiatives.
“Improving equitable access to housing opportunities empowers people with disabilities to choose their own path for their life,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Health Equity and Chief Health Equity Officer Debra Farrington. “We appreciate the partners across North Carolina who contributed their expertise and perspectives to creating this plan, and we look forward to continuing to work together to improve choice and inclusion in our communities.”
Beginning in May 2021, NCDHHS gathered a diverse group of stakeholders and department leaders to form the Housing Leadership Committee. This group collaborated to develop the Strategic Housing Plan with the goal of increasing access to a broad spectrum of community housing options while simplifying pathways to community-based care for individuals within their chosen community.
The Strategic Housing Plan focuses on five goal areas to improve access to housing in North Carolina communities:
♦ Increasing access to and development of supportive housing. Strategies include supporting the creation of 3,400 permanent supportive housing opportunities through the construction of new units and rehabilitation of existing properties to provide new access to existing units.
♦ Increasing the stability of households and efficient access to affordable supportive housing through non-development activities. Strategies include identifying and securing additional funds for rental assistance, leveraging and streamlining existing resources, lowering barriers to housing access and improving the quality of existing housing.
♦ Providing quality housing support services statewide and supporting the development of training related to these services. Strategies for this area include identifying and leveraging funding streams to support pre-tenancy, transition and tenancy support services, and increasing provider capacity and system infrastructure.
♦ Enhancing coordination among state agencies administering housing funding and programs. The department will explore the creation of a formal structure for accountability and strategy alignment across all state agencies.
I♦ ncreasing partnerships across the state to bolster affordable housing. The focus for this area is to increase coordination and partnerships at the state and local levels, leverage funding, and identify housing-related needs and system gaps across the state.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last week announced a nearly $8 million grant awarded to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NC HFA) to create 225 additional affordable housing units in North Carolina for people with disabilities. NCDHHS will continue to partner with NC HFA and other community organizations to implement strategies to improve affordable housing options for people with disabilities and to meet the goals of the NC Strategic Housing Plan.
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For more information about the NC Strategic Housing Plan, visit ncdhhs.gov.