Resources - Housing

Check out the Project 10 Topical Brief on Independent Living

Resources

Agency for Persons with Disabilities
This website provides information on Florida housing resources for people with disabilities, including for those with low incomes who are eligible to receive rental assistance from various programs administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through local housing authorities. This website features planning resources related to housing assistance for people with disabilities.

Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) Supported Living
This website features an overview of the Supported Living services available through APD as well as information to support independent living.

APD's Supported Living Guide
This guide provides a functional framework for implementing supported living services and understanding the philosophy supported living encompasses. It explores best practices and defines the rules and regulations which govern the supported living initiative.

Easterseals' Easy Access Housing Brochures
Easter Seals and Century 21 Systems developed several informational brochures that provide homeowners with helpful tips and lists for making a house accessible.

Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL)
Established in 1990, the Florida Association of Centers for Independent Living (FACIL) is a capacity-building advocacy organization that provides support and resource development for 15 Centers for Independent Living (CILs) throughout Florida. CILs are 501(c)(3), community-based, non-profit agencies that empower persons with disabilities to move from dependence to independence.

Independent Living Centers are typically non-residential, private, non-profit, consumer-controlled, community-based organizations providing services and advocacy by and for persons with all types of disabilities. Their goal is to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential within their families and communities. Also, Independent Living Centers serve as a strong advocacy voice on a wide range of national, state and local issues. They work to assure physical and programmatic access to housing, employment, transportation, communities, recreational facilities and health and social services. Information regarding Independent Living Centers in Florida may be found at http://www.flhousing.org/.

Florida Consortium on Inclusive Higher Education, Independent Living Shared Resources
The independent living section of this website provides information on daily living needs including budgeting, health and safety, housing, personal care and hygiene as well as transportation.

Housing in Florida: A Resource Guide for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (2013)
This guide identifies and explains the housing resources available in each of Florida's communities so that people with developmental disabilities will be better able to access the housing they desire.

I'm Determined: Transition Guide for Independent Living
This website offers guiding questions to form independent living goals and age-appropriate goals for students of various ages from 10 to 21 years old.

Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Center
ILRU is a national center for information, training, research and technical assistance in order to create opportunities for independence for people with disabilities.

Pacer Center's Housing Project
This website assists families as they begin to think about housing options for their family member with a disability. Many housing options and supports for home living involve eligibility criteria, timelines, waiting lists and limited availability to obtain services.

Residential Options of Florida (ROOF)
ROOF empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to successfully obtain and maintain affordable and inclusive housing of their choice.

Residential and Training Center on Community Living (RTC/CL)
The RTC/CL is composed of a team committed to research that can be used to enhance independent living for people with disabilities. The center is based at the University of Kansas and collaborates with researchers at other universities and professionals at a variety of other disabilities organizations to product ongoing research and resources for community and independent living, including topical fact sheets

Independent Living Skills Curricula

There are many commercially produced products that will assist with the education of students with disabilities in the areas of shopping and financial management, health and safety, self-determination, and accessing and using public transportation, social and recreational facilities. Below is a list of frequently used curricula materials in the state of Florida.

Life Centered Education (LCE)
A comprehensive functional curriculum based on classroom, home, and community environments and is useful for elementary school through high school, including general education students; students with learning disabilities; students with mild mental disabilities; and students at risk.

Targeted Life Skills Curriculum
Curriculum aligned with both the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the Florida Department of Education's Sunshine State Standards and State Standards for Special Diploma, 2004. This curriculum is useful for elementary school through high school, including students with intellectual disabilities.

The Transitions Curriculum
This three-volume curriculum was extensively field-tested in California. It includes 300 teacher-developed and tested lessons, complete with 1500 sequenced "real life" objectives, exciting hands-on student activities, and 600 reproducible student worksheets and student self-assessments every five units. The product was designed with flexibility in mind -- instruction can be undertaken with individual units in a two-week period or expanded for a full two-year program.