N.J. Partnership to Help with Housing

From the Star-Ledger, a guest blog by Lori Grifa, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

People with developmental disabilities are among the most vulnerable segments of our society who often rely only on the care and support of parents, siblings and other loved ones to help meet their daily needs. But what happens when caregivers become too old, too infirm, too financially challenged or simply too overwhelmed to meet the special needs of their family member?
"What will happen to my son, daughter, brother or sister, if something should happen to me?" This is a constant worry that haunts every family tending to a loved one with special needs.
To help these families, the Christie Administration has created a new program to address the critical housing shortage that has existed for developmentally disabled residents. In May, a new incentive program called the Special Needs Housing Partnership was launched in an effort to create affordable, supportive housing for 600 people with developmental disabilities by June 2013. While the Special Needs Housing Partnership is not intended to be a permanent fix, it does represent a good start with achievable goals to be attained within the next two years.