Goals
· To promote home ownership and independent living for persons with developmental disabilities.
· To explain the Opening Doors process to persons with developmental disabilities, their housing mentors, family members, service provider agencies and housing professionals.
· To present the principles of self-determination as it relates to housing for persons with developmental disabilities to: individuals with developmental disabilities, their housing mentors, family members, service provider agencies and housing professionals.
· To provide information to persons with developmental disabilities and their housing mentors about: housing choices; resources available to them; the process of becoming a home owner or living more independently; the responsibility of the home owner and the financial considerations involved in becoming a home owner.
· To assist individuals with developmental disabilities and their housing mentors in understanding the responsibilities of home ownership.
· To assist individuals with developmental disabilities and their housing mentors in understanding the steps toward home ownership/independent living.
· To provide information about the financial aspects of home ownership.
· To assess an individual’s readiness for home ownership or independent living.
· To present the role of the housing mentor to persons with developmental disabilities and their housing mentors.
· To provide information as how to relate to persons with developmental disabilities to housing mentors, advocates and housing professionals.
· To provide a rationale for the inclusion of persons with disabilities into the housing professional’s constituency.
· To highlight the commonality of housing needs among all people, regardless of ability level.