Task Force Related to the Rights of Coloradans with Disabilities - Housing Subcommittee

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• Share Pueblo housing.. hazard meterls.. negligence resulting cancerl illegally locked out. Identity theft.. illegal eviction lillgal eviction.. no accomodations from the courts or housing .. was accepted into the supreme Court on Facebook Share Pueblo housing.. hazard meterls.. negligence resulting cancerl illegally locked out. Identity theft.. illegal eviction lillgal eviction.. no accomodations from the courts or housing .. was accepted into the supreme Court on Twitter Share Pueblo housing.. hazard meterls.. negligence resulting cancerl illegally locked out. Identity theft.. illegal eviction lillgal eviction.. no accomodations from the courts or housing .. was accepted into the supreme Court on Linkedin Email Pueblo housing.. hazard meterls.. negligence resulting cancerl illegally locked out. Identity theft.. illegal eviction lillgal eviction.. no accomodations from the courts or housing .. was accepted into the supreme Court link

  Pueblo housing.. hazard meterls.. negligence resulting cancerl illegally locked out. Identity theft.. illegal eviction lillgal eviction.. no accomodations from the courts or housing .. was accepted into the supreme Court

  by Geeness, 5 months ago

  I'm reaching out because I'm homeless now because of me speaking out about the person before me Deanna Romero her daughter got cancer and then my son got cancer there was black mold and they didn't disposal of it correctly follow protocol and retaliation I didn't pay rent because the inhabit the houses were . My son has a permanent ostomy bag and ongoing liver problems his lg intestants exploded I'm loosing my eyesight so I hope you understand this I can barely see to type this I had to educate my self about the law's to navigate for me... Continue reading

  I'm reaching out because I'm homeless now because of me speaking out about the person before me Deanna Romero her daughter got cancer and then my son got cancer there was black mold and they didn't disposal of it correctly follow protocol and retaliation I didn't pay rent because the inhabit the houses were . My son has a permanent ostomy bag and ongoing liver problems his lg intestants exploded I'm loosing my eyesight so I hope you understand this I can barely see to type this I had to educate my self about the law's to navigate for me and my kids for justice. We were left on the house no heat no hot water with a red hazardous blankets from upstair to downstairs a ventilator out. The basement window having is live in the house we came home from there hospital to a house like that with a sick kid already with Cancer.. they caused and harassed me in don't of DHS the towd my car out the drive Way they case more burden on us then helping and following the law's .. me and my four kids lost everything. We deserve justice we are living out my truck I need help with this it's in the supreme Court no one will help me. I have faith that God will showe my family justice we deserve
• Share Vantage Properties refuses ADA accommodation. on Facebook Share Vantage Properties refuses ADA accommodation. on Twitter Share Vantage Properties refuses ADA accommodation. on Linkedin Email Vantage Properties refuses ADA accommodation. link

  Vantage Properties refuses ADA accommodation.

  by TiredofDiscrimination , 7 months ago

  The Overlook Apartment Complex in Johnstown, Colorado does not have adequate handicap parking. My building has zero designated spots. The property manager, Perla Garcia-Soto, has been made aware of this issue multiple times.

  
  

  Approximately eleven months into our lease, Ms. Soto changed the parking policy from first-come, first-served to a permitted-parking system for all residents. When I signed the lease I was verbally told I would have 5 parking spots. I’m now told that I do not have any spots to park in their parking lot. Since then, she has threatened to tow my vehicle if I do not park... Continue reading

  The Overlook Apartment Complex in Johnstown, Colorado does not have adequate handicap parking. My building has zero designated spots. The property manager, Perla Garcia-Soto, has been made aware of this issue multiple times.

  
  

  Approximately eleven months into our lease, Ms. Soto changed the parking policy from first-come, first-served to a permitted-parking system for all residents. When I signed the lease I was verbally told I would have 5 parking spots. I’m now told that I do not have any spots to park in their parking lot. Since then, she has threatened to tow my vehicle if I do not park on the street and walk nearly half a mile to my building.

  
  

  I informed the office that I am a disabled veteran and that my vehicle displays a valid handicap placard. Ms. Soto responded that I needed to “prove” my disability.

  
  

  After more than half a dozen polite requests for a handicap parking spot, my wife was told by Ms. Soto’s staff that they would physically remove her from the premises. Ms. Soto further stated that she believed I was only requesting a handicap space because I was “mentally handicapped,” since I would not prove a physical disability. I was not willing to humiliate myself by “jumping around on one leg” to demonstrate my condition.

  
  

  It ultimately took involving a civil rights attorney on an email thread for Ms. Soto to agree to provide a parking space near my building—but only if I asked one more time.

  
  

  I do not understand why I am continually humiliated by Vantage Properties for being disabled. As of today, my building still has no handicap parking spaces, while most of the other buildings have at least one. I cannot see any reason for this disparity other than discrimination.
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  Discrimination on collection agencies

  by Honey, 7 months ago
  Hello I have been tormented after living at Wentworth Apartments and I do not owe Wentworth or Maxx Properties no $5000 and the collection agency that were a part of the abuse and discrimination to me to make me homeless being disabled transworld collection agency have been notified to stop the abuse to make me pay and the stalking me at Aurora Housing Authorities in Aurora Colorado

  Hello I have been tormented after living at Wentworth Apartments and I do not owe Wentworth or Maxx Properties no $5000 and the collection agency that were a part of the abuse and discrimination to me to make me homeless being disabled transworld collection agency have been notified to stop the abuse to make me pay and the stalking me at Aurora Housing Authorities in Aurora Colorado
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  Landlords are not educated on the rights of the disabled.

  by Victoria, about 1 year ago

  On 4/14/25, the owner of my rental, Amy Fried, informed my husband via text that she would be listing our rental for sale and that we could expect showings to take place. Ms. Fried was verbally told that I, Shannon Mackey, have multiple sclerosis when we signed the lease. However, my MS has progressed significantly since we moved in on December 23, 2023. My mobility has declined dramatically. Over text, my husband explained that my condition has worsened and that we would like to schedule the showing to be made in conjunction with our schedule because I require extra help... Continue reading

  On 4/14/25, the owner of my rental, Amy Fried, informed my husband via text that she would be listing our rental for sale and that we could expect showings to take place. Ms. Fried was verbally told that I, Shannon Mackey, have multiple sclerosis when we signed the lease. However, my MS has progressed significantly since we moved in on December 23, 2023. My mobility has declined dramatically. Over text, my husband explained that my condition has worsened and that we would like to schedule the showing to be made in conjunction with our schedule because I require extra help to leave the house for showings. Amy Fried said she didn't legally have to provide us with anything more than 24-hour notice per the lease. We texted her to confirm she planned on showing the property whenever she felt inclined instead of trying to accommodate our needs. She claimed that forgoing our accommodation requests was indeed her intention. We asked her if she would instead let us out of the lease early so we would not have to endure the burden of leaving the house for each showing of the property since it is set to expire soon anyway. Ms. Fried declined that accommodation as well. We had a mediator of the country of Boulder help us in these communications because Ms. Fried didn't like my husband asking her for clarification via text, and she decided to block him instead of answering his questions. She denied us the accommodation by not showing our place while we lived there, and she declined to let us out of our lease any earlier with that mediator. She only agreed to give us 3 days notice instead of 24 hour notice.

  
  

  I am immobile from my condition of multiple sclerosis. I require help with all daily living tasks. Leaving the house repeatedly for showings is an undue burden of which we have asked for accommodation. The owner, Amy Fried, has declined those requests. Because of that, we would like to be released from our lease so that she may list, show and sell her property without the burnden it imposes upon us.
• Share Create a CoHousing set up Matching App and Lower Rent kind of set up like sober living homes are think Oxford Home on Facebook Share Create a CoHousing set up Matching App and Lower Rent kind of set up like sober living homes are think Oxford Home on Twitter Share Create a CoHousing set up Matching App and Lower Rent kind of set up like sober living homes are think Oxford Home on Linkedin Email Create a CoHousing set up Matching App and Lower Rent kind of set up like sober living homes are think Oxford Home link

  Create a CoHousing set up Matching App and Lower Rent kind of set up like sober living homes are think Oxford Home

  by Antimatter, about 1 year ago
  Look at Cohousing and lowering rent

  Convert Hotels into community living small apartments

  Include Caregivers who are taking care of the disabled almost their entire lives

  Value Caregivers and pay them more so they can better support disabled

  Create opportunities for Caregivers to make money doing remote jobs so they can leave more money for these communities.

  Realize that Caregivers cannot even afford to see a physician because they would rather put food on the table for themselves and the disabled.

  
  

  Create opportunities for Bridges Programs where College students can room up and help the disabled while they go to... Continue reading

  Look at Cohousing and lowering rent

  Convert Hotels into community living small apartments

  Include Caregivers who are taking care of the disabled almost their entire lives

  Value Caregivers and pay them more so they can better support disabled

  Create opportunities for Caregivers to make money doing remote jobs so they can leave more money for these communities.

  Realize that Caregivers cannot even afford to see a physician because they would rather put food on the table for themselves and the disabled.

  
  

  Create opportunities for Bridges Programs where College students can room up and help the disabled while they go to College lowering rent for both

  Pay Disabled a living wage

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
• Share To address Housing in the Disability community you also need to understand how Caregivers are being Devalued on Facebook Share To address Housing in the Disability community you also need to understand how Caregivers are being Devalued on Twitter Share To address Housing in the Disability community you also need to understand how Caregivers are being Devalued on Linkedin Email To address Housing in the Disability community you also need to understand how Caregivers are being Devalued link

  To address Housing in the Disability community you also need to understand how Caregivers are being Devalued

  by Antimatter, about 1 year ago
  A Caregiver is paid a non living wage to take care of another person. Caregiving is systemically devalued for every single age group INCLUDING under 18. A single mother who sacrifices to provide caregiving because the school system doesn't fit, or because of chronic complex illness cannot work in a system that doesn't care to understand that they are pulled in many directions. Caregivers of the disabled are suppossed to act as case managers, advocates, therapy assistants, supported living providers, CNA's, and care coordinators in a system where even the healthcare system discriminates against them and their disabled loved ones... Continue reading

  A Caregiver is paid a non living wage to take care of another person. Caregiving is systemically devalued for every single age group INCLUDING under 18. A single mother who sacrifices to provide caregiving because the school system doesn't fit, or because of chronic complex illness cannot work in a system that doesn't care to understand that they are pulled in many directions. Caregivers of the disabled are suppossed to act as case managers, advocates, therapy assistants, supported living providers, CNA's, and care coordinators in a system where even the healthcare system discriminates against them and their disabled loved ones. The housing crisis is because the problems with the community are so deep and few Cities have ACL and combined housing initiatives set up to address this. Intentional Living communities are only designed for 18 and up because HCPF doesn't want to address under 18 community in its waiver programs . Caregivers are left to wait it out with Section 8 if they even make the wait before the child ends up in Foster or other situation. So while you make sacrifices and hope you can count on society failing you and your disabled love ones.
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  Affordable Housing Desperately Needs Oversight

  by Frustrated, over 1 year ago
  I’m a disabled senior citizen who used to be a successful, resourceful and resilient person. Now I’m 95 percent bedridden, and I cannot get help. I’ve been trying—with much of my available energy, and along multiple avenues—since January to find the assistance I need for some daily tasks, but moreover to get help with Reasonable Accommodations for my disability.

  
  

  I waited nearly two years on the list for affordable housing through Boulder Housing Partners, and finally got the call that my name had come up in their lottery in June, 2023. When I sat down with them to finalize forms... Continue reading

  I’m a disabled senior citizen who used to be a successful, resourceful and resilient person. Now I’m 95 percent bedridden, and I cannot get help. I’ve been trying—with much of my available energy, and along multiple avenues—since January to find the assistance I need for some daily tasks, but moreover to get help with Reasonable Accommodations for my disability.

  
  

  I waited nearly two years on the list for affordable housing through Boulder Housing Partners, and finally got the call that my name had come up in their lottery in June, 2023. When I sat down with them to finalize forms, I included request for Reasonable Accommodation for my disabilities. It was ignored. I was assigned to a building that included no examples of what I needed, and I was told that I should address the need with the Reasonable Accommodation committee. After much back-and-forth via someone on our property management team (I was never allowed to communicate with the committee myself, and the job of Property Manager here has rolled over three times in a year), I was told that I would have to move in order to get the accommodation I need.

  Moving will be both a physical and a fiscal nightmare for me. Still it’s necessary for my long-term well-being. So I’ve been applying for a new home through BHP. Guess what? I can only apply for one place at a time. And I have to start all over again the same long and involved application process I did just last year. And I’m in the mix with hundreds of others applying for the same properties. I have no one looking out for my interests, no one representing me as someone who deserves Reasonable Accommodations for my disabilities.

  I’ve notified since moving in here that there is no type oversight with Boulder Housing Partners. I wanted to know what sort of organization they are, so I looked them up at the Colorado Secretary of State website. Interestingly, Boulder Housing Partners was dissolved a number of years ago. I remembered that they asked me to make out my checks upon move-in to Boulder Communities. So I looked that up. The business entity with that name is a Limited Liability Limited Partnership (“We are responsible to no one.”). And guess who files the periodic reports for Boulder Communities? Boulder Housing Partners—which officially no longer exists.

  I’m relieved to know that Colorado is looking at laws to help those of us who need assistance with housing-related issues. It cannot happen fast enough. Thank you so much to all who are working toward a better future for us!
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  Housing - What would help?

  by Ethan, over 1 year ago

  What would help?

  Invest in low-income housing solutions with optionality. I see more and more luxury condos and senior/55+ only housing popping up everywhere. Our community is being priced out of life at every turn. Long term, rent-controlled, or preferably rent-to-own stable housing will assure that one of the many things disabled people have to worry about is not where they'll live.

  What would help?

  Invest in low-income housing solutions with optionality. I see more and more luxury condos and senior/55+ only housing popping up everywhere. Our community is being priced out of life at every turn. Long term, rent-controlled, or preferably rent-to-own stable housing will assure that one of the many things disabled people have to worry about is not where they'll live.
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  Talking Points from 2024 Legislative Town Hall for People with Disabilities

  by Colleen Batchelor, over 1 year ago

  Full access to Housing, Transportation, Education, and other Services and Supports are regular challenges for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as well as older adults and seniors or those with mental or behavioral health care and long-term care needs. The people we serve navigate these obstacles every day – these challenges failing to meet their basic needs, impacting quality of life, and in some cases, preventing full participation and inclusion in our community.

  The following discussion points are presented with possible solutions or ideas to address them.

  Housing

  Affordable and accessible housing are barriers to the people we... Continue reading

  Full access to Housing, Transportation, Education, and other Services and Supports are regular challenges for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as well as older adults and seniors or those with mental or behavioral health care and long-term care needs. The people we serve navigate these obstacles every day – these challenges failing to meet their basic needs, impacting quality of life, and in some cases, preventing full participation and inclusion in our community.

  The following discussion points are presented with possible solutions or ideas to address them.

  Housing

  Affordable and accessible housing are barriers to the people we serve:

  People are unable to afford housing because of resource limits and earning caps.

  Increase resource limits so people can afford to save money for down payments/deposits

  Increase earning caps so people can earn more money without fear of losing their long-term care Medicaid waivers

  Exclude a percentage of housing costs when assessing earned income for public benefits

  Affordable housing is not always an accessible/barrier-free housing option.

  Provide incentives to builders to include accessible/barrier-free units in all new builds

  Provide incentives to builders willing to retro-fit housing units for accessible/barrier-free housing options

  Require that all new builds include accessible/barrier-free affordable options in new communities

  Consider visiting new building sites with a person who has specific accessible needs to fully understand the need for accessible/barrier-free housing

  Are you familiar with Universal Design concept and how this is different from the ADA requirements when building new housing?

  Affordable housing is often located in high-crime areas/run-down neighborhoods.

  Require builders to either renovate low-income housing options for every high-end home built, or donate a percentage of money for every high-end home sold

  Invest money or provide incentives to regentrify run-down neighborhoods without replacing affordable housing with expensive housing options

  Affordable housing is becoming more difficult to find in our community. It impacts all members of our community, including direct support professionals. DSPs do not make a competitive wage that keeps up with the increase demand of the cost of living in our community.

  Rent control will help all members of our community continue to afford the cost of housing

  Offering zoning options for “tiny home” communities

  Consider public transit needs when approving new housing developments

  Units that are considered “affordable housing” should not be allowed to increase rent more than the Social Security Administrations COLA increase

  Increase housing subsidies

  How can you ensure people with disabilities are assisted/prioritized to access the funding available to help combat evictions now that the moratorium is over?

  Accessible housing is becoming more difficult to find in our community.

  Currently new community housing is required to have 5% of their living spaces be ADA accessible. Do you feel this is adequate and will accommodate all of the needs of our aging and disability populations? If not, how would you propose the Colorado Springs area improve on their readiness for the upcoming populations?

  Consider allowing home modifications in all Medicaid waivers

  Offer incentives for people interested in modifying rental properties to make them accessible

  Offer incentives for people needing to modify their own homes for accessibility

  Create additional protections against ageism, ableism, and exploitation in the application process

  Bridge the gap between increasing rents/mortgages and that of (low) fixed incomes.

  Transportation

  Transportation continues to be an unmet need for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as those with long-term care needs. The lack of accessible transportation impacts all aspects of a person’s life – access to medical care, work, day programs, social opportunities, grocery shopping, etc.

  Public transit continues to be a barrier because of long transit times, multiple transfers and restrictions.

  Increase service times so people do not have to wait an hour for a bus (study of the most accessed lines and increase the number of buses on that line)

  Expand para-transit service area to serve people outside of the current service area

  With increased buses on most traveled lines, increase the number of wheelchair accessible areas in buses

  Offer a full-day, single ticket unlimited bus pass

  Public transit ride sharing option/voucher system for access to shopping and social opportunities

  Public transit limits the number of grocery bags to two per person, making it impossible for people to use the bus to shop for food/essentials. This is especially concerning for people living in food deserts who have to travel more than a couple of miles to the nearest grocery store

  Public transit limits the size of stroller a person can use when accessing the bus. For a parent with multiple children, this makes public transportation inaccessible

  “Walk a day in our shoes;” We challenge every panelist to use public transportation for a week to fully understand the challenges your constituents face daily. Have any panelists accepted the challenge to “walk a day in our shoes”?

  Affordable transportation options

  Provide funding to increase the reimbursement rate for transportation services in the Medicaid waiver programs

  Discontinue the requirement for health care signatures for patient transport related to Non-emergent Medicaid Transport

  Allow ride sharing services to be reimbursed through Medicaid state plan and Medicaid waiver services

  Expand transportation services under Medicaid waivers

  Offer incentives for the non-public transit dependent population to use public transportation to increase the demand and need for a better system in our community

  Offer Peer Rider Training grants to agencies willing to hire Peer Rider Trainers to encourage more public transit riders

  Offer/repurpose city, county and state fleet vehicles for families looking for affordable transportation options

  Offer grant funding to help families modify vehicles

  PPRTA Planning Process – what support will panelist provide to encourage people with access to affordable and accessible transportation be considered a priority in our community
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  My Story On Housing and Headaches

  by Beth, over 1 year ago
  I started living in independent housing in about 2011 or so. I first lived in a small apartment on West Ninth Avenue, but this building sadly was infested with bedbugs. Nobody paid attention unless I had to make multiple complaints and by that time, there were bites everywhere on my limbs, arms and legs and in some cases, on my face. There needed to be multiple sprays and when a new group purchased the building, they used ineffective treatments which did little to keep bugs out of the building, rather the bugs just moved around. This place also had a... Continue reading

  I started living in independent housing in about 2011 or so. I first lived in a small apartment on West Ninth Avenue, but this building sadly was infested with bedbugs. Nobody paid attention unless I had to make multiple complaints and by that time, there were bites everywhere on my limbs, arms and legs and in some cases, on my face. There needed to be multiple sprays and when a new group purchased the building, they used ineffective treatments which did little to keep bugs out of the building, rather the bugs just moved around. This place also had a microwave of its own, but this one would always require labeling. As a blind person, I couldn’t just get access to a microwave without a trusted friend to help, and recently, this friend became a luxury. As a victim and survivor of nonfatal strangulation and domestic abuses by an ex partner, himself also blind, I also have to grapple with the loss of available help, being blamed for being a bad person, etc, and housing did little to stop this. This man is still living in that building, but it is also not safe for our son. We would never be able to attain a house with the current things as they are set up. When I wanted to consider a family, Habitat for Humanity kept coming up in my searches, or even discussions, but the requirement of sweat equity can be either a barrier or a volunteer opportunity depending on the person and their needs. The disabling factors of blindness do prevent certain visual tasks relating to the sweat equity, but often for us, even combined with a partner, we are still not making enough to meet their income requirements. Leases are also a huge issue and today, I’m writing this in a so called affordable housing unit on South Lowell in Littleton, but this building’s office is also a problem. They are not communicative with me as a blind tenant. I can’t even pay my rent without having to use another person to drive to an appropriate spot, Walmart for example, and collecting a check or money order from there, it is painful. I can’t pay rent on my own terms, and even if I could write that check, I still have to know how to handwrite the address, and if I don’t, my identity and the safety of rent is highly at risk. I have had to put my life in the hands of sighted professionals, social workers for example, in order to ensure this does not become an issue. But the social workers will be gone soon, and even worse, I am still not getting support enough in recovery, group schedules do not accommodate rigid schedules of other people. As a blind survivor, housing is also quite absent of accessible appliances. In this current apartment, I now have to give up my smartphone to a caregiver who is for the general public, likely a very shady character. My actual current caregiver is not this way, but the building insists on inaccessible launry units in a communal space, and I don’t get to choose how and when I launder my own clothing. The other big barrier is the lack of choice for accessible housing in your unit. My stove had to be crude labeled with a sighted person, and had it not been for a social workers, I would not be able to prepare meals at all. I also have been denied support in purchasing a microwave, being told to borrow a cheap inaccessible one, and was not helped purchasing a longterm and more usable one from Panasonic. The sighted vitriol toward blindness, one offing our support, is a barrier too. Because of the economic inflation, nonprofits have not been receiving enough funding, and if I ever have to deal with such budgeting discussions, housing comes up. I become angry even at one word of such, and this being because I was also financially abused and exploited by my ex partner. He orchestrated the theft of $3500 worth of equipment, only barely half somehow salvageable through the Howard Fund, and my budgeting discussions somehow got me threats to put me in assisted living. It has become so … horrible, lately. I also have run behind paying my security system, ADT, and must have a nonprofit finance this now as I can’t live in any estate, this word meaning apartment or even a property I own, without viable security. The ADT panel is also visual, not usable by blind people. I have to somehow reach them, complain that my appliances aren’t working or are inacessible, and then sit around waiting because there aren’t trusted friends who can reasonably label anything in my unit. My dishwasher isn’t one I would want to keep forever, and my oven is a Frigidaire, but it has no company overlay, but if I had control over what was in my unit, I would go with GE, General Electric, because of their Braille kits and prepackaged overlays, available upon order or request, it would have made stuff way way easier. My rent being paid by someone else and not the gold standard not only puts me a risk but puts others in bad spots too. OFten when I demanded an online portal to use for secure private pay of my rent, I was met with no desire from my tenant office to support it. I am at a point where a lawsuit against the housing authority for failing in this way could be my next step. I’ve complained to HUD but nobody seems to know how to handle this, and with no family or friends to take care of others’ missteps, I have to live by the mercy of a ruthless set of demigogues whose plans don’t align with the needs of disabled persons. My recommendations to the task force are as follows: the application process for all housing should be a breeze. I should be filling these out online, and the website cannot use overlays, AccessiBe for example. The same applies to a lease, and even after offering my John Hancock for this purpose, signing the endless mountains of paperwork, I should be guaranteed that my appliances are ready for me to use as well. For sighted able privileged people, this is a guaranteed, but as a disabled tenant, I have to wait or get a friend to fix the problems. Let me just say I am NOT goig to demand someone fix my landlord’s slacking behaviors ever, and that’s what happened. For wheelchair users, there definitely needs to be grab bars, stair rails and elevators where appropriate. Wheelchair ramps aren’t just for wheelchair users either, they are great helps in hauling stuff and my baby son in and out of a place. My eighteen-month-old boy may one day be asked to haul groceries, and yes, this is part of being a responsible human, and yes, I will be more than happy to bug my son to haul in that 200 pound bag of kitty litter when needed. A ramp is a helpful tool for stuff like this. I’m also a big fan of bars, grab bars. They don’t just help with wheelchair transfer to shower seat or toilet, they also help when I have no place to put my showering things, or even for me, I use those to help stand up when the situation calls for it. I also put my wide toothed comb hooked over one end. There is so much that an accessible housing place can give, and the National Federation of the Blind also says it’s not just benefiting blind or disabled people. It’s for all of us. While I live in housing, I recommend we hireh more to maintain a unit, but for parents like myself, I want to see more of an available way to get us actual HOUSES, not rental apartments where nobody is talking to you, getting your stuff fixed up, or not letting you get stuff done the same day. My bathroom door lock was so bent that my ex partner got mad, rightly so. A maintenance guy had to give us a whole new bathroom door knob. … And that’s not all. I feel like living in a rental can become a health hazard when someone purposefully overruns their unit with roaches, and since I can’t see, someone else spots a roach on my counter, kills it, and … wow. It’s someone upstairs! All units and housing for people with disabilities should include a washer hookup, and for me as a blind parent, that should be mandatory. No excuses. An ADA compliant setup must be available when I move in, and this goes for washer, dryer, dishwasher, oven, any other applicable appliances. I don’t care to be responsible for paying separate laundering costs when the communal machines don’t meet my needs, then it requires me to put my laundering in the hands of a crook or put me at this further risk. My mailbox should also be just my mailbox, and this goes for all blind people. I can’t tell you the many times people give me the hardest time about accessibility in checking mail! For me, that special friend we call the “mail man” is totally something I’d mandate because for me, I want trust at my driveway and I want to make certain the mail man is putting my mail in a box. And yes, I reserve my right to spoil the postman with any treats likely he’d require, or she. My friend Helen is a mail carrier following in the footsteps of her father, Steven Krug. Helen is taking the torch Steven left behind upon his passing. I think about Helen’s clients, how are they going, and the smiles everybody has on their faces, “It’s the mail lady!” I had one too, in Florida, but Helen doesn’t deliver mail to my old haunts, but I recommend someone like her everywhere. Our mail carriers are the messengers we will rely on when times get tough, and I want my mailbox to be safe in the hands of such. Thank you for your consideration.