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1999 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 456
Requesting the Virginia Housing Development Authority and the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Disability Commission, to develop a plan to increase their efforts to acquire and creatively use available funds in order to increase Virginia’s accessible and affordable housing stock and community-based supports for all Virginians with disabilities.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 9, 1999
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 1999

WHEREAS, according to recent statistics from the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, there are approximately 1.5 million Virginians who have some type of disabling condition; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee Evaluating the Future Delivery of Publicly Funded Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services pursuant to House Joint Resolution No. 240 (1996) found that the lack of community-based housing is one of the major barriers to independence and increased quality of life for persons with mental illness, mental retardation and substance abuse problems; and

WHEREAS, disability services boards across the Commonwealth cite affordable housing as one of the greatest needs for persons with mobility and sensory disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the federal government, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, has recently made available to the states significant new funds for vouchers and other housing supports; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Virginia Housing Development Authority and the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with the Disability Commission, be requested to develop a plan to increase their efforts to acquire and creatively use available funds in order to increase Virginia’s accessible and affordable housing stock and community-based supports for all Virginians with disabilities. The plan shall include an analysis of current efforts on the part of the Virginia Housing Development Authority, the Department of Housing and Community Development and local housing authorities to acquire and use funds to house Virginians with disabilities.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Virginia Housing Development Authority and the Department of Housing and Community Development for this study, upon request.

The Virginia Housing Development Authority and the Department of Housing and Community Development shall complete their work by December 1, 1999, and submit their findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2000 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.