Using the RDSP for Homeownership

Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) are long-term savings plans designed to provide financial stability for people with disabilities. More than $3 billion is locked in RDSPs, unusable for practical purposes like housing. My Home My Community designed and tested an RDSP Homeownership Plan that would make modest policy changes with significant impact to allow people with disabilities to use their RDSP accounts for homeownership.

• Designing a RDSP Homeownership Plan Final Report

• Designing a RDSP Homeownership Plan: Executive Summary

Making the Canada Housing Benefit Work for People with Disabilities

The Government of Canada committed $4 billion to create the Canada Housing Benefit. A housing benefit is an allowance that goes to a person to help cover the difference between the cost of rent and what they can afford. People with an intellectual disability often have lower incomes. They also have extra “hidden” housing costs that are not experienced by people without disabilities. My Home My Community developed a policy proposal for a disability supplement to be included as part of the Canada Housing Benefit. This would help provide people with an intellectual disability with the same housing opportunities as other people in Canada.

• Making the Canada Housing Benefit Work for People with Disabilities

Asset Inventory: Understanding the Development Potential for Housing Solutions for People with Developmental Disabilities

My Home My Community catalogued assets that already exist in communities across Canada that can be used to create more inclusive, affordable housing. This includes property that could be redeveloped, financial resources that could be put towards new housing, and relationships that could help someone receive the support they need. Our asset inventory identified significant untapped potential that we estimate could be used to create up to 19,826 units for people with an intellectual disability.

• Asset Inventory: Understanding the Development Potential for Housing Solutions for People with a Developmental Disability

Inclusive Housing Development

Partnership-driven housing development

Local or provincial/territorial community organizations can partner with families and housing sector professionals to develop new housing.

• Toolkit #1 – Partnering with Developers: Information about how to replicate a partnership model with developers for inclusive housing.

• Case Study 1: Community Living Toronto, Toronto, ON: This case study may be of interest to organizations that can provide supports in a larger building or development, but do not have physical assets (surplus land, or real estate) they can use or the expertise to develop a building.

Family-driven housing development

Many families have ideas or are successfully developing their own housing solutions. With support, knowledge sharing, and financial tools, more people with lived experience can take action.

• Toolkit #2 – Family-led housing development: Information about how to replicate a family-led model for inclusive housing.

• Case Study 2: Legacy Homes, Brockville and District Association for Community Involvement, Brockville, ON: This case study may be of interest to families who are looking to use their own assets to develop a housing solution for their family member with an intellectual disability. It may also inspire organizations to work together with groups of families to develop customized housing solutions for people with an intellectual disability.

Agency-driven housing development

Housing and support providers for people with an intellectual disability are seeing a mismatch between their own principles of inclusion and outdated models of residential services. Increasingly, housing providers are looking to use their assets and invest in inclusive housing that prioritizes the needs of people with intellectual disabilities but welcomes residents both with and without disabilities.

• Toolkit #3: Agency-driven housing development: Information about how to replicate an agency-driven model for inclusive housing.

• Case Study 3: UNITI-Chorus - Semiahmoo House Society, South Surrey, BC: This case study may be of interest to organizations who can provide supports in a larger building, and have land or other equity to develop a building.

Homeownership

For some people with an intellectual disability, owning a home seems like a dream that is just not possible. We profiled homeowners with an intellectual disability who (after intensive planning, and with lots of hurdles along the way) made the dream a reality through three different models of homeownership.

Sole ownership

A person with an intellectual disability owns the home in their own name. Financial and legal support are often provided by a trusted network of family members and friends.

Joint ownership

A person with an intellectual disability jointly owns the home with parent(s), a partner, and/or sibling(s).

Ownership through bare trusts

Trustees hold legal title to the property. All risks and rewards of ownership remain with the person with an intellectual disability.

• Pathways to Homeownership Case Study Report: Information about specific models of homeownership with real-life examples of people with an intellectual disability who have purchased a home.

• Review of legal, tax, and planning implications of homeownership options: Technical explanations of the three approaches featured in Pathways to Homeownership (sole ownership, joint ownership, and bare trusts).

• Workbook for Professional Advisors: A detailed workbook for professional advisors like lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors with advice on evaluating models of homeownership.

Plain English workbooks for self-advocates and families: Workbooks to help you decide if homeownership is right for you.

• Workbook 1: Know the people who can help you own a home

• Workbook 2: Thinking about homeownership

• Workbook 3: Thinking about money

• Workbook 4: Choosing a home

• Workbook 5: Thinking about help and support

• Workbook 6: Guide to mortgages

• Workbook 7: Guide to home maintenance

• Tracking Sheet: Tracking your learning and questions

Inclusive Housing Index

My Home My Community created a tool to evaluate how well a specific housing development (built or pre-built, single or multi-home) achieves inclusion for its residents. The tool also helps people understand where efforts should be focused to achieve inclusion. We engaged people with disabilities and other experts to identify what contributes to inclusion in housing, so developers can plan for inclusion from the start.

• Understanding the Inclusive Housing Index

• Creating Inclusive Housing for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Handbook for Developers and Funders

Partnership-driven housing development in Toronto, ON: Community Living Toronto

Community Living Toronto works with housing developers in Toronto to secure dispersed rental apartments that provide security of tenure, housing affordability, and supports for inclusion.

• Case Study 1: Community Living Toronto, Toronto ON

• Toolkit #1 – Partnering with Developers

  
  

Embed 3 Partnership-driven housing videos here

Family-driven housing development in Brockville, ON: Legacy Homes

Legacy Homes provides planning resources, acquires individual homes, and provides lifelong lease agreements to people with an intellectual disability, ensuring security of tenure and supports for inclusion.

• Case Study 2: Legacy Homes – Brockville and District Association for Community Involvement, Brockville ON

• Toolkit #2 – Family-Led Housing Development

Embed 3 Family-led housing videos here

Agency-driven housing development in South Surrey, BC: UNITI-Chorus

UNITI-Chorus used undeveloped property and capital assets to create affordable rental housing, designed to fit the needs of people with an intellectual disability, while including tenants with and without disabilities.

• Case Study 3: UNITI-Chorus – Semiahmoo House Society, South Surrey BC

• Toolkit #3 – Agency Driven Housing Development

Embed 3 Agency-driven housing videos here

Homeownership

For some people with an intellectual disability and their families, owning a home seems like an impossible dream. We profiled homeowners with an intellectual disability who (after intensive planning, and with lots of hurdles along the way) made the dream a reality using three different models of homeownership.

Embed 3 homeownership videos here, please (joint ownership, sole ownership, bare trust)