"Our homes, not nursing homes"

Press release from ADAPT:


ADAPT Challenges HUD, Dems, McCain on Disability/Housing Economic Crisis

Washington, D.C.---ADAPT wasted no time challenging multiple policymakers on the housing crisis for persons with disabilities who have low and extremely low incomes. After setting up a tent city at HUD headquarters just after 4 a.m., ADAPT sent 100 activists to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) offices in Washington, D.C., and another hundred to a Sen. John McCain campaign office in Arlington, VA. All three entities were presented with the ADAPT platform for affordable, accessible housing.

"The DNC was cordial, and they accepted our housing platform, as well as our invitation to visit 'DUH City,' which is HUD spelled backwards," said octonagerian Barb Toomer, ADAPT organizer from Utah."The career HUD staff that met with ADAPT told our people they had no authority to make decisions and had to wait for the administration or administrative appointees to make any decisions, so the meeting felt like a waste of time. Sen. John McCain's campaign staff not only refused to even look at our housing platform, they had eleven of us arrested by police who caused injuries to at least one arrestee."

ADAPT's housing platform points to America's20longstanding and still growing crisis in the availability of affordable, accessible integrated housing. Many people with disabilities live on benefits that are only 18% of the median income, a full 25% below the poverty level, and an amount that is less than the national average rent for a studio/efficiency apartment.

"The federal government is sending stimulus payments to middle class workers, and is providing economic relief for the mortgage crisis, and maybe even the bank crisis," said Dawn Russell, Denver ADAPT. "What about all of us who live on fixed incomes? If we can't afford the cost of housing, we'll end up on the street or being forced into nursing homes and institutions. What are the federal government, Congress, and the presidential candidates going to do to help us with our housing crisis?"

In its platform, ADAPT is asking for:
· 5000 new housing vouchers per year for 10 years, targeted to people transitioning out of nursing homes and other institutions;
· Twice as much funding for the construction of new housing stock that is affordable, accessible and integrated;
· Policies and procedures to track the new vouchers to assure they remain targeted to people with disabilities when the original user becomes ineligible or no longer needs the voucher;
· People with disabilities who reside in institutional settings to be recognized as "homeless."

ADAPT's DUH City will remain in operation twenty four hours a day until Thursday, September 18. The DUH City Times will be delivered daily to every member of Congress, and there will be daily DUH TV coverage on You Tube. Background information, real stories of real people and photos can all be accessed at www.duhcity.org.

"The Argument Against Lifeboats"

Steve Kuusisto of Planet of the Blind makes a very interesting comparison of the opposition to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADA Restoration Act with the problem of an inadequate number of lifeboats on the Titanic. Check it out!

Dave's Faves 1

School and health issues are keeping me out of advocating trouble. I’m not having as much time as I’d like to post my thoughts, but many other bloggers are writing great stuff, and there are always interesting things to be found in the news. So, welcome to the first “Dave’s Faves”, where I’ll be linking to some of those interesting finds.

Steve Kuusisto, dealing with a guide dog stress injury, hits on an issue that is all too common for people with disabilities. “I wonder sometimes if the able bodied public knows that people with disabilities have stress injuries that are the result of their accommodations. Wheelchair users have carpal tunnel syndrome; back aches, neck aches, profound tension headaches—all of these things are essentially the norm for PWDs." So true. I need my computer because I cannot handwrite, but I get neck pain from using my computer too much. It’s tough to figure out the right balance when the computer is a necessary part of my independence and yet causes me so much pain.

"This is best for you." Ruth eloquently writes about those simple, yet incredibly annoying words that people with disabilities hear from total strangers. “So far the winner is a secretary at a local DME provider who ‘decided’ which wheelchair was best for me in less than a minute. I suppose she had a chart in front of her which indicated the exact model to "prescribe" for a quadriplegic. When I brought up the issue of what medical folks thought I should have, she promptly replied ‘Oh no. The model I gave you is the one you need.’”

As people often presume incompetence in all areas when one is in a wheelchair, Bridget Houlihan offers great examples about "what it takes to simply be your best when your have a disability." I can relate to her experience of hoping a college education would encourage people to take her more seriously.

“Bah humbug.” In Goals schmoals, Terrible Palsy shares her feelings about school and therapy goals for her son. “Stick your goals where the sun don’t shine. Happiness is all that matters.” Right on!

Thanks to Ruth for noting this USA Today article about the rise in reporting of housing discrimination. I did not know that housing discrimination on the basis of disability was as prevalent as discrimination based on race.

Ever been in the hospital at night? I have. Billie, at Micropreemie Twins, shares the wonderful night’s sleep she and her daughter get while in the hospital. Not! It’s common knowledge that sleep is necessary for healing – someone needs to tell hospital personnel.

Disaboom is a new website hoping to become a resource for the disability community. Check it out.

Mobility International USA is looking for 15-17 year olds with and without disabilities to participate in a 21 day trip to Bahrain next summer.

Finally, Amanda, at Ballastexistenz, shares and analyzes the story of a boy who really was a hero in Kid Hero Saves a Teacher.