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Ohio Solutions Office Hours

Cross-Sector Partnerships to Expand 

Options for Affordable, Accessible Housing

February 10, 2022
Welcome

Lori Gerhard

Director, Office of Interagency Innovation

Administration for Community Living

ACL.GOV

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Welcome 

•Thank you for joining the Housing and Services Resource Center

(HSRC) for this third office hour featuring partnerships between the 

housing sector and aging and disability networks. 

•The collaborations are expanding options for older adults and people 

with disabilities to live in their communities with access to supportive 

services they may need.

Session 3: Cross-Sector Partnerships to Expand Options for 

Affordable, Accessible Housing

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Instructions for Zoom

Audio Options

• Use your computer speakers, OR dial in using the 

phone number in your registration email.

• Please stay muted unless called upon.

Chat

• Please actively use chat throughout the meeting

• To ask a presenter a question in chat, please include 

the name. For example: Question for Justin...

Raise Hand to ask a presenter a question.

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This event is being recorded.
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How can our organizations work together to help older 

people and people with disabilities to live successfully 

and stably in the community?

We need to:

• Expand affordable, accessible housing.

• Support people in finding and keeping housing.

• Provide access to services they choose that support 

independence and well-being. 
Solution

Cross-sector partnerships that bring together:

▪Housing. 

▪Homelessness services.

▪Aging and disability services.

▪Health: physical, behavioral and mental health.

Why? 

So people with disabilities and older adults can stay stably 

housed, healthy, and active in their communities.
Housing and Services Resource Center

Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and 

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) collaborate to:

• Provide coordinated technical assistance for growing cross-sector 

partnerships at the state and community levels. 

• Assist communities in leveraging new housing and service 

resources including from the American Rescue Plan.

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HSRC Offerings

• Website that supports learning and cross-sector action

acl.gov/HousingAndServices

• Office hours and webinars

• Coming soon: 

– Learning Collaborative

– Toolkits

– And More!
Office Hour:

What to Expect

• Learn and discuss methods that stakeholders from different sectors 

used to begin to develop partnerships to expand affordable 

housing and access to community-based supportive services.

• Receive practical tips and real-world examples. 

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Office Hour 

How This Will Work

As an “office hour,” each session will have a short presentation, 

followed by a long period for participants’ questions and discussions 

that support peer-to-peer sharing.

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Ohio Solutions for Affordable Housing and Services for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

A B I L I T Y C E N T E R A N D A R E A O F F I C E O N A G I N G

THE ABILITY CENTER
Social / Environmental Factors & Individual Behavior 

Affect Longevity More Than Genetics & Medical Care
3 Biggest Expenses in Retirement

While many worry about the cost of health care as they 

age, transportation costs represent 16% of expenditures, 

while health care represents 13%.

Source: NewRetirement, The Biggest Expenses in Retirement
Unaffordable Housing

Over 1-in-4 older adults 

(age 65+) households (27%) live 

in unaffordable housing.

Housing is considered unaffordable if the 

costs, including utilities, are more than 30% 

of household income.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Subsidized Housing

3,803

AOoA region older adults 

(age 62+) households rely on 

housing subsidies, including 

public housing, Supportive 

Housing for the Elderly (202), 

and the Housing Choice 

Voucher Program.

Source: Community Solutions estimate based on HUD data (2016)
Developing Safe, Affordable, Accessible, and Beautiful Housing

Lakewood II Senior Village Island Parkway
Additional Developments

Riverview Terrace Westhaven
Lakewood 

Campus has:

• Senior Center

• Congregate 

and single unit 

affordable 

housing

• Veteran’s 

Housing
Ways the Area Office on Aging Integrates Health 

• MMP – MyCare Ohio

• Medicaid Waiver services

• Medical Mutual of Ohio – MA plan

• Anthem – commercial health 
Partnership with the 

Ability Center of

Greater Toledo 

In 2011, Temporary Ramp 

Program pilot with Money 

Follows the Person (HOME 

Choice). Since beginning this 

program, we have installed 

and recovered multiple ramp 

systems, serving more than 

153 consumers. These 

systems continue to enable 

safe discharge from 

institutions as well as assist 

those “at risk” of not being 

able to maintain independent 

living.
How CILS and AAA Work to Keep People at Home

Programming between the AAA and CIL 

(ACT) has grown over the past 10 

years:

• Since 2008 we have completed over 

$1.4 million worth of Home 

Modifications. (AOoA bid awards 

only and does not account for other 

senior funded projects). 

• At The Ability Center (ACT), 60% of 

our consumers over the age of 60.

• Collaborate on the coordination and 

construction of Home Modifications 

(ramps, grab bars, low-rise steps 

etc.) and the gifting of Durable 

Medical Equipment.
How CILS and AAA Work to Keep People at Home Continued

• Collaboration also includes the 

gifting of Durable Medical 

Equipment.

• The Top 5 requested DME 

requested = Shower Transfer 

Bench, Shower Chair, Wheelchair, 

Raised Toilet Seat + Rollator. Items 

which enable better self-care.

• DME program is sustained by 

community donations + grants. A 

community “Donations Ask,” a 

sanitizer, and a staff person is all 

you need to get started.
Age of HAP 

Consumers

Types of Projects

76 of 181 are Fee 

for Services

17%

20%

63% blank

0-59

over 60

HAP Consumers & Projects

47%

42%

9%

Grants

Fee for

Service

ACTRP

Hospice
Housing

◼ Source of Income Discrimination 

Ordinance: City of Toledo outlawed 

discrimination by landlords based on source 

of income. This means that a landlord cannot 

lawfully refuse to rent to a tenant because 

they receive public benefits, including 

Section 8 Vouchers

◼ Accessibility reviews: engaging with new 

developments to ensure they are accessible

◼ Ability Center v. Moline Builders:

multi-family complex that was out of 

compliance with the Fair Housing Act, lawsuit 

ensured that unit owners with inaccessible 

units had the option to have them made 

accessible
Area Office on Aging Website Resource
Q&A
Wrap Up

• How can we improve the next office hour? What did you 

like? How will you use what you learned today?

Email us at hsrc@acl.hhs.gov

• We will notify all webinar registrants when the recording, slides, 

and transcripts are available on ACL.gov

• Sign up for ACL email updates

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Acknowledgment

This presentation was supported in part by the U.S. Administration for Community 

Living through a contract with Mission Analytics Group, Inc. (Contract number 

HHSP233201500060I) which subcontracted the work to USAging. The views 

expressed do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the 

Administration for Community Living / Department of Health and Human Services.

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