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PART III PRIORITY SUPPORTIVE HOUSING NEEDS Priority: Increase the availability of service enriched housing for persons with special needs. Priority Analysis and Obstacles to Meeting Underserved Needs Low income persons and families with special needs, including the frail elderly, persons with disabilities, persons with HIV /AIDS, persons with alcohol or other drug problems, and victims of domestic violence need housing with supportive services. Within the HOME Consortium there is a critical need to increase the amount of housing with supportive services to meet a variety of special needs. Supportive housing can increase life expectancy and quality of life for persons with special needs. For many, it can be the key to preventing or permanently ending homelessness. Each special needs population requires different levels of service and support. Persons with acute disabilities, such as end -stage AIDS or severe mental illness, may require a high level of service available on site. Less vulnerable populations may need fewer services at their residence, but may require access services in the broader community. Services often associated with supportive housing include case management, alcohol and drug counseling, health and mental health care, money management and childcare. The California Department of Rehabilitation estimates that 3% of the total populations have disabilities which affect their housing requirements to a significant degree, forcing the disabled to live near medical facilities, live in specially designed homes, or live in congregate housing. Many have difficulty obtaining housing when vacancy rates are low and housing is unaffordable. Most affordable housing does not have accessibility to accommodate a physically disabled person. Education of landlords and disabled tenants regarding reasonable accommodations is sporadic. The landlords' misunderstanding of the needs of the disabled tenants often leads to eviction proceedings rendering the disabled person homeless and with a poor tenant history making future rental opportunities more difficult. Although services for people with identified special needs are the most critical, more limited service enriched housing can be beneficial to lower income populations which do not have special needs. Each of us has a range of service needs, such as childcare, healthcare, advice about financial matters and educational opportunities. People with adequate resources are able to purchase these services in the community. Those who lack these resources benefit from affordable housing with services that can help stabilize individuals and families and also serve as a community base through which services can be provided. Strategic Plan FY2010 FY2014 City of Pleasanton Page 34