CONGREGATE HOUSING

A Low-Income Housing for Persons with Disabilities

There are hundreds of sparsely occupied large houses in Los Angeles City that
have the potential to provide thousands of congregate living accommodations for
persons with disabilities (alcoholics, addicts, mentally- physically disabled and
family members). Most of these houses are currently owned by persons willing to
convert to affordable congregate housing if given the opportunity.
Current LA City low-income housing funding categories do not include provisions
that can provide training; technical assistance and start-up funding for these
homes to convert to affordable congregate housing. There are Los Angeles City
quality sober living homes that are providing housing and recovery support for
thousands of recovering alcoholics, addicts and family members. These homes
demonstrate the potential for congregate housing for other persons with
disabilities. Well-managed congregate living homes establish family type
environments in which mutual help assists residents maintain progress in their
recovery and life style development.
Many now required to reside in shelters, transitional housing and live on the
streets could be accommodated in this potential housing resource.
The 1,000 houses could be assisted to provide congregate housing with a modest
City start up subsidy of $5,000 to $10,000 per house. This equates to a
government average investment of $1,000 per person who are provided
permanent self-supporting housing. This modest investment pales to the high
cost per low-income housing under current government formatted low-income
housing funding categories.

SOBER LIVING
NETWORK
PO BOX 5235, SANTA MONICA, CA 90409

(310) 396-5270 FAX (310) 452-2050

slnetwork@earthlink.net
www.soberhousing.net