Housing Options Guide INTRODUCTION
People with disabilities and their families have many things to consider when they plan for the future. Where to call home is a critical part of that planning. The purpose of this guide is to help families learn more about their options for how to secure the physical living arrangement that best meets the needs of their loved one with a disability.
Background
People with disabilities and their families have many things to consider when they plan for the future. Where to call home is a critical part of that planning. The purpose of this guide is to help families learn more about their options for how to secure the physical living arrangement that best meets the needs of their loved one with a disability.
Before deciding on any housing option, though, it is important to consider what “home” means to both the family member with a disability and the parent(s) supporting them on this journey. Home is more than just the ‘physical living arrangement’. It includes all the unique aspects that make a house a home.
One of the many aspects of “home”’ is the community that the home is located within. If families haven’t had an opportunity to imagine and explore their understanding of “home” and “community”, they need to STOP and investigate the resources included in the Information and Resources: Exploring What Home and Community Means section. Having this larger content will help families plan and evaluate housing options.
The options presented in this guide were developed by a Home Think Tank workgroup to provide information on some of the choices available for individual, community-based housing. It is not intended to address all housing options. Other choices such as group homes or congregate, specialized settings are beyond the scope of this guide. An introduction to those choices is available from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities here.
This Guide includes nine options. Some options are included even though they have significant drawbacks. They are included so that families can learn more about the drawbacks and compare them ‘side-by-side’ with other options. Inclusion in this Guide does not mean that the option is “endorsed”.
The purpose of the Housing Options Guide is to help families navigate complex housing issues such as availability of resources to invest, the extent of flexibility desired, estate planning considerations, and safeguarding public benefits. Some parents may have already made decisions and taken action related to housing for the family member with a disability. In these situations, parents can review the contents of this Guide to check if they fully understand the issues connected with those decisions.
If information in this Guide (or from other sources) causes the family to question if previous decisions are the best fit, they should know that there are steps that can be taken to address this. They can use this Guide to find ideas and resources to shift their focus to another option.
Some parents may decide on one option when they are living, and make arrangements for a second option to be in place after they die.
Please note that this Guide includes a Resources and Information section. Important information about housing and benefits, technology, and services is included in this section. For families at the beginning of the housing journey, it will be important to take advantage of the resources in this section to become knowledgeable before making any housing decisions.
How This Guide is Organized
This Guide includes these sections:
- Introduction
- Information and Resources
- Nine Housing Options
- Rent: family member with a disability rents from an unrelated third party
- Trust: Parent places a property in a trust for use by a family member with a disability
- Parent Owns: Parent owns a second property for use by a family member with a disability
- Parent owns + : Parent owns a second property for use by a family member with a disability AND rents a portion of the property to a housemate(s)
- Donate to Agency: Parent donates a property to a service providing agency for use by a family member with a disability
- Housing Network: Parent donates a property to a housing network for use by the family member with a disability
- Form non-profit: Parent forms a nonprofit to own the property for use by the family member with a disability
- LLC: Parent forms a limited liability company (LLC) to own the property for use of the family member with a disability
- Person Owns: Person with a disability owns and occupies the property
Description of Each Option
This Guide includes detailed information on each of the nine options:
Summary Box (example)
Low Risk
High Risk
Much Control
Little Control
Much Control
Little Control
Flexible
Limited Flexibility
General Information
- What is this?
- What Circumstances Make this a Possible Fit?
- What does this mean to my family member with a disability?
- What does it mean to my estate?
- Where do I get more information?
Pro and Con Chart
- Extent of control: describes the extent of control the person/family has over the asset
- Impact on public benefits: describes how the option may impact the public benefits of the family member with a disability
- Longevity: describes the extent to which the option can be sustained over time, including after the death of the parent(s)
- Property management responsibilities: describes the extent of responsibilities for upkeep such as lawn mowing and roof replacement
- Long-term flexibility: describes the extent to which the option is flexible if things change and it’s no longer a good fit
- Tax Considerations: outlines the tax implications (if any) for the option
- Financial Considerations: describes the potential financial responsibilities both long and short term
- Other: outlines any other issues not addressed above that parent’s may wish to consider
How This Guide Was Created
This Guide was created by a work group of Home Think Tank – an informal association of people with disabilities, family members, allies and staff from across disability and housing organizations. Home Think Tank has been hosted by Hamilton County DD Services since 2008. Workgroup members included:
- Ron Schaefer, parent and financial advisor
- Laura Drake, attorney with experience in trusts and estate planning
- Cindy Molloy, parent and advocate
- Gina Gehm, Executive Director, Housing Resource Group
- Deb Greenebaum, Housing Coordinator, Hamilton County DD Services
- Jo Krippenstapel, Consultant to Hamilton County DD Services and Home Think Tank Facilitator
Many parents and their family members also informed the content of this Guide by their generous sharing of experiences. We are grateful for their review of many drafts of these materials.
Language
This guide is intended for use by parents and others (siblings, grandparents) with a family member with a disability. Throughout this document, “parent” is used as a shorthand reference for any family member who is engaged in planning for the future of the family member with a disability. “Family member with a disability” refers to the family member with a disability whose housing concerns are the focus of planning.
Disclaimer
Information in this document is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this document should be considered legal or accounting advice. Please contact a professional for information pertinent to your specific situation. When seeking legal counsel, find an attorney who is experienced in Medicaid and Social Security.
Created by a Home Think Tank workgroup.
Information on this sheet is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing in this document should be considered legal or accounting advice. Contact a professional for information pertinent to your specific situation.
© 2022 Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services
This document may be reproduced and distributed without modification.