City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 3, 2021
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
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TITLE
City Participation in a State Rental Assistance Program for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
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ISSUE: Acceptance of allocation of State funds to support a small-scale rental assistance program to benefit individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who secure housing in the City of Alexandria.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1) Approve acceptance of an allocation of funds from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to be administered locally by the Office of Housing as rental assistance to benefit individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who secure housing in the City of Alexandria; and
2) Authorize the City Manager to execute a Memorandum with DBHDS to memorialize the working agreement between that State agency and the Office of Housing.
BACKGROUND: In Fall 2020, DBHDS asked the Office of Housing (Housing) for help in administering a State rental assistance program for qualified individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/ED) who secure housing in the City of Alexandria's rental market. Pursuant to a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, known as the Olmstead Agreement, the Commonwealth is striving to help persons with ID/DD to live in residential settings that promote independence to the greatest extent feasible, and has created a State rental assistance program (SRAP) to reduce one of the key barriers that challenge this population's access to housing.
DISCUSSION: Individuals qualified to participate in the SRAP will be referred to Housing by the DBHDS. Qualification will be determined at the State level based on the individual's readiness to li...
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