A new report from ECONorthwest finds people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities are severely undercounted and face escalating housing insecurity.
A study suggests a increasing risk of homelessness for Oregonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as government support fails to keep pace with rising housing costs for a population that often needs support, the report written by ECONorthwest, and commissioned by the Kuni Foundation.
The research used by states and nationally to count people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and estimate the number of people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities who are at risk of housing insecurity—rely on 25-year-old data.
Current data on the adult population experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities are not collected; in fact, relevant questions have been removed from national health surveys recently. More recent state-level data from Ohio, applied to Oregon and SW Washington, suggests that the actual estimate of people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities could be many times higher.
“Fundamental data on this population—the number of people, basic demographics and living arrangements—are some of the most outdated and assumption-laden this firm has experienced in 30-plus years working on public policy solutions,” says John Tapogna of ECONorthwest. The firm conducted the study for the Kuni Foundation; the Foundation also sought guidance from an advisory group of advocates, nonprofits serving the I/DD community, people experiencing I/DD, and regional housing leaders.
“An entire segment of our population is undercounted, invisible and underserved,” says Angela Hult, president of the Kuni Foundation. “The lack of options and access underscores the urgent need for affordable, inclusive housing options for people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities. By eliminating silos between disability rights advocates and housing providers, and working together, we have an opportunity to pursue creative solutions in response to this crisis.”
Near-term opportunities include dedicating resources for people experiencing I/DD within the Metro Regional Government’s supportive housing measure in the tri-county Portland area. In Washington state, the Legislature needs to prioritize housing options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in current budget planning, especially in the face of COVID-19 related cuts. Longer-term, across Oregon and Washington, the Foundation points to a need for more accurate data, an increase in affordable and supportive housing options, better connections between housing and support services, and inclusion of people experiencing I/DD in housing planning and policy decisions.
“We need to get housing developers and service providers in the same room,” said Bill Van Vliet, executive director of the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing and data study advisory group member. “I’m not sure all of the affordable housing developers are aware there is service money available to support people with disabilities that would help contribute to operating their properties.”
