(5391.01 – June 2006)

FUNDING HOUSING MODIFICATIONS

I.        Programs

There are several different programs that exist to provide people with money to repair their homes. Each of these programs has separate qualification requirements. To be eligible for the grant or loan money, the applicant must meet these requirements. A brief description of some of these programs is listed below along with contact information.

A.      Medi-Cal Home and Community Based Services Waivers

There are six home- and community-based waiver programs in California for persons who would otherwise qualify for Medi-Cal funded long-term care in a nursing facility (NF), subacute nursing facility, hospital or intermediate facility for developmentally disabled (ICF/DD). The purpose of the waiver is to provide extra services to a target population to support them in the community and increase independent living. All of the waivers cover minor architectural modifications and special equipment that Medi-Cal says it does not cover. The Appendix B chart describes the target population (i.e., the type of facility the waiver applicant or recipient would qualify for in the absence of waiver services) and specifies whether deeming is waived. Waiving deeming or "institutional deeming" means that children’s eligibility is determined without regard to the resources and income of parents. If a person is married, the rules applicable to income and resources are the more favorable rules that apply if one member of the couple is in long-term care.

Waiver for persons with developmental disabilities – this waiver applies statewide and does not have a cap on the amount, though it is subject to some limitations. Applications are available through regional centers.

Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) – This waiver does not apply state wide, but rather only to specific counties. The waiver provides for environmental accessibility adaptations, minor home repairs, and non medical home equipment. Currently, there is no cap on the amount that is available to an individual under this waiver. Apply through individual county MSSP sites. For a list go to: http://www.aging.state.ca.us/html/programs/mssp_contacts.htm.

1.               AIDS Waiver – This waiver is not state wide, but only available in specific counties. Applications are available through local AIDS Waiver Agencies. See list in the Medi-Cal Inpatient-Outpatient Providers Manual http://www.Medi-Cal.ca.gov. Click on "User Guides," click on "Provider Manuals," click on "Inpatient-Outpatient," and then search for "AIDS Waiver Agency Directory."

2.               Nursing Facility Level A & B Waiver – This waiver applies state wide and provides for environmental accessibility adaptations, limited to a one time payment with a maximum of $5,000, subject to some exceptions. However, this money will be used to lessen the cost cap. Applications are available through In-Home Operations (IHO), Medical Care Coordination and Case Management Branch, Medi-Cal Operations Division within the Department of Health Services, (916) 324-5915, fax (888) 899-2492.

3.               Nursing Facility Subacute – This applies state wide and provides for environmental accessibility adaptations, limited to a one time payment with a maximum of $5,000, subject to exceptions. Applications are available through In-Home Operations.

4.               In-Home Medical Care (hospital) Waiver – This applies state wide and provides for environmental accessibility adaptations, limited to a one time payment with a maximum of $5,000, subject to exceptions. Applications are available through In-Home Operations

B.      Veterans Administration (VA)

If you are a veteran with a permanent and total service-connected disability, you may be entitled to receive grants to help with housing modifications. Two examples of grants available through the VA are:

Up to $50,000 for building, buying, or remodeling an adapted home (38 U.S.C. § 2102); or

A one-time grant of up to $10,000 for special housing adaptations that the VA determines to be reasonably necessary (38 U.S.C. §§ 2101, 2102(b)).

To be eligible for a grant, you must be entitled to compensation for permanent and total service-connected disability and not have been dishonorably discharged. If you have already been determined to have a service-connected disability, apply for the grants through a VA regional office.

If you have not already been determined to have a service-connected disability, you can apply for service-connected disability benefits at your local VA office. VA claim form 21-526 is available at all VA regional offices and county Veterans' Service offices. When filing a claim with the VA for the first time, you should include a copy of your service discharge form (DD 214), which documents service dates and type of discharge. Or, simply give your full name, military service number, branch of service, and dates of service. Initial claims may include your statement and any medical or other documentation of your service-connected conditions.

The VA regional office will ask you for any additional information and schedule a compensation and pension (C&P) exam. The C&P exam will be at the VA medical facility nearest you. VA doctors who are specialists in the conditions you claim, and are not your treating physician, will examine you.

You and your representative have the right to a copy of the C&P exam reports.

In California, VA regional offices are located at:

The Disabled American Veterans organization provides free assistance and counseling with VA claims.

Los Angeles (310) 477-2539; Oakland (510) 834-2921; San Diego (619) 299-6916; Reno (775) 784-5239. See, also, www.dav.org/veterans/claimshelp.html

C.      Regional Center

For people with developmental disabilities and their families, the regional center may be a payor of last resort for home modifications that are required by a consumer’s Individual Program Plan (IPP). This is in addition to services available under the DD Home and Community Based Waiver. The IPP contains a list of the consumer’s goals and services. If removal of an architectural barrier or other home modification is necessary to reach one of a consumer’s goals, the regional center may be obligated to pay for the modification if it is unable to get another agency to do so. Contact your local regional center to ask about details.

D.      Department of Rehabilitation (DR)

DR may provide assistance in modifying or repairing your home if the repairs/modifications are necessary for the successful outcome of a client’s vocational rehabilitation. Calif. Code of Regs., Title 9 § 7174. This service is limited to removing barriers, constructing partitions, and installing other portable modular components necessary to assist a person to obtain or retain employment.

Contact the Assistive Technology Unit of the Department of Rehabilitation for information on assistive technology and home modification assistance at:

E.       Local community development projects

Many local communities provide residents with assistance to maintain their homes. These communities may use grant monies made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through its Office of Community Planning and Development. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is one of the grants given to local communities based upon a formula and the CDBG money may be used to help provide decent housing to persons with disabilities in order to remove architectural barriers.

A list of community based programs throughout the state of California is available from HUD’s web site at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/index.cfm

Information about the Office of Community Planning and Development is available at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/index.cfm or by calling 202-708-2087.

Information about the local CDBG program may be obtained by calling HUD at 202-708-3587 or

Northern California HUD office in San Francisco

415-436-6597

 

Southern California HUD office in Los Angeles

213-894-8000

 

F.       Victim Compensation Program

Under California law, the Victim Compensation Program provides that a victim who is permanently disabled as a direct result of a crime may be reimbursed for modifications to his or her home or vehicle. CA Govt. Code § 13965(a)(7). The Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board administers the VC Program. The Victim Compensation Board will reimburse payments to make both the car and the home accessible for qualified victims.

For more information, contact the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board at:

You may also contact the local Victim/Witness Assistance Center in you area. A list of Victim/Witness Assistance Centers is attached as Appendix C or you may visit the Victim Witness Organizations web page at:

http://www.boc.ca.gov/vwlist.htm.

You may also download an application at:

http://www.boc.cahwnet.gov/VCApp.htm.

II.      Additional Information

There are several places you can look to for information and referrals for programs for home modifications. A brief description of some of these referral organizations is listed below along with contact information.

A.      Local Area Agency on Aging

Your local area agency on aging may be able to provide you referrals on programs for home modifications. A list of agencies from the California Care Network’s web page is attached as Appendix D or you may visit the California Department of Aging web site directly for the list of local assistance providers at:

http://www.aging.state.ca.us/html/programs/i_and_a_listing.htm.

B.      California Care Network

The California Care Network is designed to help you find state-licensed disability and elder care services and facilities in California. Its Home and Community Services web page has generalized info on various home and community services. That web site provides links to other helpful sites and phone numbers. The web page may be viewed at:

http://www.calcarenet.ca.gov/home_community_services.asp.

C.      National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification

The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification has an informative web site that contains many links to local, state, and federal programs/agencies as well as to contractors and repair persons who may be able to assist you in completing your home modification. Their web site may be visited at:

http://www.homemods.org/.

APPENDIX A:  Special Circumstance Grant County Contacts

 

APPENDIX B:  Medi-Cal Home & Community Based Waivers

WHICH WAIVER?	NUMBER OF SLOTS	WAITING LIST?	TARGET POPULATION	TARGET FACILITY	DEEMING WAIVED?
DD	45,000	No	Dept. of DD for reg ctr eligibles	ICF/DD	yes
MSSP	11,700	No	65 & older	NF	no
IHMC	less than 300	No	all ages & disabled	90 days/yr hospital	no
SUBACUTE	685	yes	all ages & disabled	Subacute NF	yes
NF LEVEL A&B	450	yes	all ages & disabled	NF A&B	yes
AIDS	CA 3,100	No	adults CDC Clinical Categories A-3, B1-3, C1-3, symptomatic HIV or AIDS; separate rules for children under age 13	Hospital, Subacute NF, NF	no

 

APPENDIX C:  Victim/Witness Assistance Centers

For the Victim/Witness Assistance Center nearest you, please call the phone number for your county listed below.

A Alameda County District Attorney (510) 272-6180 Alpine County (530) 694-2192 Amador County District Attorney (209) 223-6474 B Butte County Probation (530) 538-7340 C Calavaras County District Attorney (209) 754-6565 Colusa County Probation (530) 458-0659 Contra Costa County Probation (510) 374-3272 or (510) 313-4170 D Del Norte County District Attorney (707) 464-7273 E El Dorado County Probation (530) 621-6492 or  (530) 573-3337 F Fresno County Probation (209) 488-3425 G Glenn County HRA Community Action Division (530) 934-6510 H Humboldt County District Attorney (707) 445-7417 I Imperial County Probation (760) 339-4357 Inyo County District Attorney (760) 878-0282 K Kern County Probation (805) 868-4535 Kings County Probation (209) 582-3211 x 2640 L Lake County District Attorney (707) 262-4282 Los Angeles City Attorney (213) 485-6976 Los Angeles County District Attorney (213) 974-7499 M Madera County Action Committee, Inc. (209) 661-1000 Marin County District Attorney (415) 499-6450 Mariposa County District Attorney (209) 742-7441 Mendocino County District Attorney (707) 463-4218 Merced County District Attorney (209) 725-3515 Modoc County District Attorney (530) 233-6212 Mono County District Attorney (760) 924-5424 Monterey County District Attorney (408) 755-5072 or (408) 647-7772 N Napa County Volunteer Center (707) 252-6222 Nevada County Probation (530) 265-1246 O Orange County Community Services Program, Inc. (949) 975-0254 P Placer County District Attorney (530) 889-5790 Plumas County Probation (530) 283-6285 R Riverside County District Attorney (909) 955-5450 S Sacramento County District Attorney (916) 874-5701 San Benito County District Attorney (408) 637-8244 San Bernardino County District Attorney (909) 891-3509 San Diego County District Attorney (619) 531-4041 San Francisco County District Attorney (415) 553-9044 San Jaoquin County District Attorney (209) 468-2500 San Luis Obispo County District Attorney (805) 781-5821 San Mateo County Probation (650) 363-7809 or (650) 877-5494 Santa Barbara County District Attorney (805) 568-2400 Santa Clara County-NCCJ (408) 295-2656 Santa Cruz County District Attorney (831) 454-2010 Shasta County Probation (530) 225-5220 Sierra County Probation (530) 993-4617 Siskiyou County District Attorney (530) 842-8229 Solano County District Attorney (707) 421-6844 or (707) 553-5400 Sonoma County Probation (707) 527-2002 Stanislaus County District Attorney (209) 525-5550 Sutter County District Attorney (530) 822-7345 T Tehama County District Attorney (530) 527-4296 Trinity County Probation (530) 623-1205 Tulare County District Attorney (209) 733-6754 Tuolumne County District Attorney (209) 533-5642 V Ventura County District Attorney (805) 654-3622 Y Yolo County District Attorney (530) 666-8187 Yuba County Probation (530) 741-6275

APPENDIX D: LOCAL AREA AGENCY ON AGING

CONTACT NUMBERS

The following is a listing, by county, of Area Agencies on Aging throughout California:

 

Alameda	(510) 567-8040	Alpine	(209) 532-6272
Amador	(209) 532-6272	Butte	(530) 898-5961
Calaveras	(209) 532-6272	Colusa	(530) 898-5961
Contra Costa	(925) 335-8700	Del Norte	(707) 442-3763
El Dorado	(530) 621-6150	Fresno	(559) 488-3821
Glenn	(530) 898-5961	Humboldt	(707) 442-3763
Imperial	(760) 339-6283	Inyo	(760) 873-6364
Kern	(661) 861-2445	Kings	(559) 737-4682
Lake	(707) 462-1954	Lassen	(530) 842-1687
Los Angeles (County)	(213) 738-4004	Los Angeles (City)	(213) 368-4000
Madera	(559) 488-3821	Marin	(415) 499-7396
Mariposa	(209) 532-6272	Mendocino	(707) 462-1954
Merced	(209) 385-7550	Modoc	(530) 842-1687