Session Four: Budget, Location, and Amenities June 8, 2016

Please mute phones if you’re attending in person Remember that this session will be recorded and later made public, so any statements you make may be captured on that recording

Dennis Brown, facilitator Jeannie Cummins, Regional Housing Specialist, DBHDS Lucy Beadnell, Director of Advocacy, The Arc of Northern Virginia

 Making your budget  Working with SSI and rent subsidies  Average costs for utilities and other needs  Ways to increase income and decrease expenses  Matching needs, wants, and budgets

From Transition POINTS Housing, page 7 TIP: Write all of your expenses down daily for a month. You may be surprised where the money goes! Income SourceCosts Social Security Benefits:Rent/Mortgage (including property insurance, reserve funds, HOA/condo fees, and real estate taxes): Wages:Utilities: Housing Supplement:Property Manager: Energy Assistance:Home Maintenance: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits: Trash/Recycling: Checking/Savings Account:Support Staff: Special Needs Trust:Food: Insurance Payouts:Recreation: Military Benefits:Medical Supplies/Co-Pays: Other Income:Phone/Internet: TOTAL: Occupancy Staff Other

ExpenseConsiderationsCost Estimate Rent- 30% of SSI at $733Rent cap is $1353 including utilities with the voucher$219 UtilitiesUtility allowance of $90 for electric and $70 for sewer and waterIncluded in rent estimate Transportation*Looking at using MetroAccess less, logisticare for medical appointments$25 Telephone*Cell phone and landline for local calls$80 Cable/internet*$100 FoodWill apply for SNAP (food stamps) and go to food banks to drop costs $40-$100/month$240 Laundry*Assume coin operated washer and dryer in community laundry room in apartment building. $2.50 to wash/$2.50 to dry x 2 loads/week x 4 weeks per month, plus $5 for detergent $40 Cleaning Supplies*Trash bags, dish soap, stuff to clean bathroom/kitchen, vacuum bags, floor cleaner, etc. $25 Barber*$25 every 2-3 months, monthly average of $10$10 SavingsAim for 5% per month (This is just over 4%)$31 Clothing, other goods*Rely on gifts, special needs trust, savings as needed$0 Total$37 over budget! Where do you go back to cut?$770 *Think about parents providing help here occasionally OR always and allowing it to be considered income which will affect rent.

Tenant’s income= $733 per month 30% of income= $220 per month Utility allowance= $ 80 per month Apartment rent = $900 per month Tenant’s share= $140 per month (30% income ($220) – utility allowance ($80)) Remaining rent= $760 per month (subsidy paid to landlord by govt.) 8

 Ensure you’re getting the full amount of Social Security (SSI/SSDI)  Use a Special Needs Trust to fund items other than rent and food  Existing money or having existing stocks put dividends here  Putting parents’ IRA money into SNT  Apply for mini-grants for people with autism through  Apply for Individual and Family Support Program at DBHDS if waiting for a Waiver  Check out utility assistance programs with your county  Add in more work hours or a small hourly side job in your neighborhood  Sell items you no longer need or make on neighborhood listservs or craigslist/Etsy  Apply for food stamps (called SNAP) and look into foodbanks TIP: Look at your completed self- assessment for some data TIP: Reoccurring gifts will be considered income

 Get a roommate  Consider travel training instead of Metro Access  Walk, bike ride, or carpool to work and for leisure activities  Ask people on your Circle to help- donate clothing, shop at Goodwill for items you need, let you do laundry at their house, provide transportation  Go to a cell phone (Lifeline program) instead of a landline  Consider Hulu or Netflix in lieu of cable 10  Shop at the Dollar Store for every day items like cleaning supplies  Look for coupons and sales  Look at craiglist and freecycle for items being given away  Set up an exchange with neighbors on sharing laundry, bulk purchases, or other expenses  Look for a unit with amenities (e.g. gym) you pay for now to cut out the extra service cost

Think about what you absolutely must have and what you can consider to find the right place for the right price. Do you need to be near parents? Or work? Or friends? Or can you make it work by being a reasonable distance away and having good transit options? Does the area need to be easily walkable, be near public transit, or have parking available? Can you save money and be more flexible with travel training? Rethink what looks safe or doesn’t and think about your PERSONAL safety/security provisions Drive around to see areas of the county that show up on affordable housing searches. They may be different than what you expect! Remember we all make some sacrifices to live in Northern Virginia

Pull it out and flip to Part Four: Housing Requirements  Think about ranking the needs to get a sense of what is most important. Think creatively about other ways to meet the need.  Can you do laundry with parents instead of having a washer/dryer in the unit? Can you line dry instead of paying for dryers?  Can the family pet live with family instead of in the unit?  Take your list with you as you tour homes. Rate them based upon how they measure up to what you need, want, and want to avoid.  Be sure you know key parts of an affordable housing application before you apply  Live in aide needed?  Roommates?  Can a possible roommate qualify for the same type of housing program? 12

 Your needs, ranked by priority  Accessible design  Front desk security  Private bathroom  Storage  Washer/dryer in unit  Place where pets are allowed  Public transit access  Certain neighborhood near parents/doctor  May want to avoid  Place where pets are allowed  Place that allows smoking  Gas stoves  Poorly lighted buildings  Buildings on routes with no sidewalks 13

Get on WAITLISTS for affordable housing  DBHDS/VHDA Housing Choice Voucher for DOJ target pop  Local Housing Choice Voucher or Project Based Voucher waitlists (may be closed)  Local Public Housing waitlists (may be closed)  Local Rental Assistance Program waitlists  Private Federally Assisted Housing waitlists (may be closed) 14

 Know who will live with you & their relationship to you  Roommate? If yes,  Does he/she also have a voucher?  YES –if voucher program permits shared housing, each person can use a voucher.  NO – if voucher program permits shared housing, roommate’s income must be sufficient to pay prorated rent.  NOTE: if roommate is treated as a “family member”:  his/her income will count in income calculations for voucher eligibility and tenant rent payment  He/she may have rights to the voucher if the “family” splits  Live-in aide?  Know what kind of financial help your family gives you to cover expenses  Regular gifts or contributions are “countable income”  Sporadic, non-recurring gifts or contributions are NOT “countable income”  Keep copies of medical bills that you pay out of pocket

 Start thinking now about what you may need for accommodations  Examples:  Accessible unit  Ground floor unit  Live in attendant  Need for consideration despite criminal background  Larger unit to fit adaptive equipment  Renting from a parent

 Ensure you’re saving all your work on your jump drive or computer in an easy to find place.  Finalize your budget draft and keep it updated as income and expenses change.  Go back to the Housing Needs Profile to rank wants and needs. See if you can eliminate anything.  Complete the roommate checklist provided today. Please bring the homework materials back with you on June 22, 2016