Collaborative Housing is a public-private partnership to provide affordable, permanent, supportive housing to disabled people.
Disabled residents share a bedroom in a house with a roommate of their choice. The owner furnishes the house, pays for all the utilities, does not collect a Security Deposit and joins an owners association that regularly inspects the houses to ensure quality. The sponsoring government or other organization provides referrals to the house, responds to any tenant problems in a timely manner, visits regularly to help with residents needs and insures that the house is properly run. Residents attend weekly support groups, help with neighborhood projects and provide support for other residents. Community groups provide mentors for gardening and cooking and help with problems that pop up.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act allows non-related individuals who are disabled to live together in residential neighborhoods as a family without special use permits, licensing, public hearings or announcements that will trigger NIMBY issues.
- According to the Los Angeles Times 25 percent of houses bought in Los Angeles today are for investment purposes.
- The square foot cost of renting houses is less than the cost of renting apartments in Los Angeles.
- Two-thirds of Los Angeles; estimated 88,000 homeless people have a disability.
- People receiving SSI can afford to pay for their own housing when living in Collaborative Housing and still have at least $300 for other expenses.
- Garden-grown fresh vegetables improve the health of disabled people as well as community food security.
- Seventy-seven percent of Angelenos share housing with others.
- Recent studies by De Paul University of similar houses in 12 states show that individuals in congregate housing double their income, have incarceration rates less than the general public and have better health and mental health outcomes.De Paul found no difference in property values in neighborhoods that had congregate housing.
- SHARE! the Self-Help and Recovery Exchange has been setting up pilot Collaborative Housing in Los Angeles since November 2005. They have had no difficulty recruiting landlords to participate.
For information call SHARE! toll free at 1-877-SHARE-49 or (310) 846-5270.
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Collaborative Housing Committee
Essential Elements of Collaborative Houses
Collaborative Houses must:- Meet quality, health, safety, and ethical standards.
- Have on-going timely, voluntary linkages to service
- Be democratically self-managed as a family.
- Promote recovery enthusiasm, including participation in self-help groups as well as employment, education, and/or volunteerin
- Develop and practice Good Neighbor relations.
- Have residents who can take care of themselves on a daily basis and be active in recovery activities.
- Participate in a larger supportive network of hous
- Emphasize self-sustainability of the residents within a supportive community environment.
- Participate in regular trainings.
