Jubilee Launches Housing Support Services
Originally published in Jubilee’s Fall 2021 Connections newsletter
“When I worked alone to get my son Kobi a housing voucher it was very stressful. You’re making decisions that impact your adult child’s future,” said parent James Cudjoe.
Today, Jubilee is working to ensure that families like the Cudjoes are not alone. Jubilee is now launching a new Housing Support Services division. We will help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) find and secure their own affordable housing. This work is alongside our core service of Residential Support Services.
A national study found that an eye-opening 79 percent of people with I/DD say their top goal is to have a home of their own. “Now Jubilee will be able to help more people achieve their goal of independent living,” said Executive Director Steve Keener.
Finding and securing an affordable home is only one part of the housing process. Jubilee often hears that the people we support want to live on their own. Yet when the time comes, many people become fearful and cancel their plans to live on their own.
Jubilee will provide guidance on how to handle owning or renting a home. We’ll teach how to handle relationships with roommates, neighbors, and landlords. Budgeting, home maintenance and renter rights and responsibilities are also topics.
Frances Issa-Katta, Jubilee’s new Housing Support Services manager, shares that “the goal is to ensure that people make the move with confidence and excitement about their future.”
An important change at the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) makes this new work possible. For the first time, DDA will pay service providers for housing support as they do for residential support.
“It would have been a huge benefit to have had help through the process and give advice,” said James.
The cost to launch Housing Support Services is not a DDA covered expense. “We estimate the launch cost at Jubilee to be $100,000,” says Steve Keener. “Supporting people where they want to live has long been a Jubilee priority. This is the next evolution of our housing work.”