The Bay Area Housing Corporation received a matching grant from Santa Clara County to support its Making Homes Work program. The Los Gatos-based program helps families modify their homes by installing ramps, remodeling  bathrooms or improving wheelchair access through hallways and doors, which enables people with disabilities to stay in their homes rather than moving to specialized housing.

The Bay Area Housing Corporation received a matching grant from Santa Clara County to support its Making Homes Work program.

The Los Gatos-based program helps families modify their homes by installing ramps, remodeling  bathrooms or improving wheelchair access through hallways and doors, which enables people with disabilities to stay in their homes rather than moving to specialized housing.

“We recognize that people with (intellectual and developmental disabilities) have few housing options,” said Kris McCann, executive director of Bay Area Housing Corporation. “The cost of housing in Santa Clara County for the size of a home required for a specialized licensed home averages $2.4 million. Once the costs of rehabilitation of the home and long-term maintenance are added, the expense for opening a new specialized residential home becomes prohibitive.”

Approximately 80% of Santa Clara County residents who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) live in their family homes. The county’s grant will help more of them age in their homes as their needs and abilities change.

The program helps secure approvals, gather and evaluate construction estimates, formalize the contract and complete the work.