The City of Orlando received $353,530 in State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Funds in Fiscal Year 2013/14 from the National Mortgage Settlement fund, also known as the Attorney General/Bank Settlement. Funds are ruled by Senate Bill 1852, also known as the Attorney General Settlement bill. As per Senate Bill 1852, local governments must use at least 20% of their allocation from this appropriation to serve persons with special needs as defined in Section 420.0004, Florida Statutes. The first priority of these special needs funds must be to use them for persons with developmental disabilities as defined in s. 393.063, Florida Statutes.
The City of Orlando received a proposal from Crystal Lake Supportive Environment, Inc., d/b/a ATTAIN, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that provides habilitative services in community residential homes to men, women and children (ages 10-17) with intellectual disabilities, autism and similar developmental disabilities. ATTAIN has been in operation for 25 years and currently operates 10 homes in Orange County, serving 59 individuals with developmental disabilities.
ATTAIN is requesting $63,147 to rehabilitate a group home located at 5172 Neponset Avenue. Rehabilitation will include the addition of two bedrooms, one full bath, and retrofit of kitchen and dining area to upgrade accommodations in accordance with ADA regulations. The residents now living in the home are female individuals ranging in age from 17 to 21 and who have been diagnosed with developmental disabilities. The new bedrooms will be offered to two of the females with DD who have recently been struggling with stairs due to gate problems in their ambulation.
On 12/1/14 the Housing Review Committee reviewed ATTAIN’s request and voted to recommend City Council approve ATTAIN’s request for funding. The Florida Housing Finance Corp. (FHFC) has confirmed that this rehab activity is eligible for funding under the SHIP Program and can be applied to the 20% set-aside requirement for serving persons with developmental disabilities.