Promoting self-determination and control in housing for people with disabilities... Providing leadership and direction for the self-determination housing movement in Pennsylvania

About SDHP

Mission:

SDHP, Inc. is a statewide non-profit organization that works to expand housing options for people with disabilities in Pennsylvania.

SDHP was founded in 1994 and incorporated in 1998. The mission of SDHP is to promote self-determination and control in housing for people with disabilities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Goals:

	To bridge the information gap between the housing and disability communities
	To promote state and local partnerships and coalitions that enable people with disabilities to choose   and control their own housing
	To increase the stock of affordable, accessible, and integrated housing
	To expand access to public and private housing programs for people with disabilities

Populations Served:

Individuals, groups and organizations, including people with disabilities, families, advocates, public agencies, government officials, service providers, lenders, builders, developers, architects, Realtors and legal representatives

Key Roles:

As a statewide agency, SDHP plays four key roles in this effort: as educator, policy maker, technical assistance provider and initiator of demonstration projects.

Outreach and Education
SDHP helps bridge the housing and disability communities by encouraging partnerships that help people with disabilities realize housing of their choice. SDHP has developed the following resources to make information accessible:

• Statewide network of Housing and/or Disability Agencies
• Toll-free resource telephone line
• Website - www.sdhp.org
• Workshops
• Training
• Publications
• Access to disability-related information

Advocacy and Policy Development
SDHP works closely with state and local housing and human service officials to increase awareness of obstacles to self-determination in housing and to explore ways of addressing those obstacles through policy and regulatory change.

• Partnerships with government agencies to address statewide housing needs for people with disabilities
• Coordination with state and local housing and human service officials
• Initiation of policy and regulatory change
• Identification of barriers to accessible housing and self-determination

Technical Assistance
SDHP provides a range of technical assistance and training to increase the knowledge, skill, and capacity of people with disabilities, family members, service providers, housing professionals and others.

• Customized approaches to housing acquisition, finance and/or management
• Clarification of laws and regulations which affect disability housing
• Design and implementation of local housing coordination efforts
• Assist and support demonstration projects that implement self-determination housing models
• Promote Universal Design and VisitAbility

Program and Initiatives
SDHP develops and documents projects that test new ideas and approaches to self-determined housing. SDHP initiates programs to address community needs.

• SDHP Home Modifications Program enables eligible low and moderate-income persons with permanent disabilities to make their current home more accessible
• Regional Housing Coordinator Project coordinates and support regional and local housing activities, assists with resource identification and system navigation
• Housing Advocacy Coordination Project addresses issues in the area of public and subsidized housing that are important to people with disabilities
• SDHP Affiliate Organizations comprise a network of agencies that incorporate self-determination into their activities and provide services in over 50 counties