Research & Policy
My Home My Community is building evidence about what is required for people with an intellectual disability have the same housing choices as everybody else. We develop and advocate for policy solutions to encourage governments and the private sector to invest in inclusive, affordable housing.
Using the RDSP for Homeownership
Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) are long-term savings plans designed to provide financial stability for people with disabilities. More than $3 billion is locked in RDSPs, unusable for practical purposes like housing. My Home My Community designed and tested an RDSP Homeownership Plan that would make modest policy changes with significant impact to allow people with disabilities to use their RDSP accounts for homeownership.
Making the Canada Housing Benefit Work for People with Disabilities
The Government of Canada committed $4 billion to create the Canada Housing Benefit. A housing benefit is an allowance that goes to a person to help cover the difference between the cost of rent and what they can afford. People with an intellectual disability frequently have lower incomes and have extra “hidden” costs related to housing that are not experienced by people without disabilities. My Home My Community has developed a policy proposal for a disability supplement to be included as part of the Canada Housing Benefit. This would help provide people with an intellectual disability with the same housing opportunities as other people in Canada.
Asset Inventory: Understanding the Development Potential for Housing Solutions for People with Developmental Disabilities
My Home My Community has catalogued assets that already exist in communities across Canada that can be used to create more inclusive, affordable housing – such as property that could be redeveloped, financial resources that could be put towards new housing, and relationships that could help someone receive the support they need. Our asset inventory identified significant untapped potential that we estimate could be leveraged to create up to 19,826 units for people with an intellectual disability.
Position Statements & More Information
Our position statements tell people about the issues that matter to us. They explain our view on these issues and explain the change we want to see.