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FINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
1UALITY -ONITORING OF (OUSING Quality Monitoring The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (5$ HAS IDENTIlED h KEY ASPECTS OF HOUSING QUALITY performance requirements, and acceptability criteria” when evaluating the quality of housing that they use during an inspection. A checklist is available online. HUD or their designee performs such inspections to ensure basic housing quality standards (HQS) are met. The Supportive Housing Connection is responsible for making these inspections in DDD and DMHAS funded housing that are not licensed. Licensed housing units will be inspected through the Office of Licensing under the guidelines set forth in NJAC 10:44A. For more information visit WWWPORTAL HUDGOVHUDPORTAL(5$ SRC PROGRAM?OFlCESPUBLIC? INDIAN?HOUSINGPROGRAMSHCVHQS HOUSING DISCRIMINATION For information on the rights of people with disabilities in housing go to WWWPORTALHUDGOVHUDPORTAL(5$ SRC PROGRAM?OFlCESFAIR?HOUSING?EQUAL?OPPDISABILITIES INHOUSING
SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS Special Needs Trusts allow funds to be saved for the individual with a disability without jeopardizing government means-tested Benefits. Special Needs Trusts may provide additional options for an individual with a disability to secure and maintain housing. For individuals who receive SSI and/or Medicaid, the use of funds in a Special Needs Trust for food and shelter may be restricted, or disallowed. Funds used for these purposes are deemed to be “income”, defined as In-kind Support and Maintenance (ISM) and could potentially jeopardize eligibility for these programs. First Party (or Self-Settled) Trusts are funded with assets belonging to the person with the disability. These trusts must be used for the sole benefit of the individual. Parents may also establish a Third Party Supplemental Benefits Trust to hold an inheritance for a loved one who has a disability and who is receiving means tested benefits. Third Party trusts, although more flexible in nature, are still subject to ISM rules. Federal and State laws, as well as public benefits regulations change, so legal advice must be obtained at the time of establishing trusts and reviewed periodically thereafter. Special Needs Alliance Handbook for Trustees: WWWSPECIALNEEDSALLIANCEORGFREE TRUSTEE HANDBOOKv WWWSPECIALNEEDSALLIANCEORGFREE TRUSTEE HANDBOOK Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of NJ (PLAN/NJ): WWWPLANNJORGv WWWPLANNJORG
“Involve your child in the community. Do not shield them because they might not fit in. My son has autism and cannot modulate his volume when he speaks. I took him to the library as a youngster and explained to the librarians that he is loud. They took him under their wings. He loves to go to the library. Years later, they still look out for him.”
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