Findings and purposes

(1) Findings The Congress finds that— (A) the effective provision of congregate services may require the redesign of units and buildings to meet the special physical needs of the frail elderly persons and the creation of congregate space to accommodate services that enhance independent living; (B) congregate housing, coordinated with the delivery of supportive services, offers an innovative, proven, and cost-effective means of enabling frail older persons and persons with disabilities to maintain their dignity and independence; (C) independent living with assistance is a preferable housing alternative to institutionalization for many frail older persons and persons with disabilities; (D) 365,000 persons in federally assisted housing experience some form of frailty, and the number is expected to increase as the general population ages; (E) an estimated 20 to 30 percent of older adults living in federally assisted housing experience some form of frailty; (F) a large and growing number of frail elderly residents face premature or unnecessary institutionalization because of the absence of or deficiencies in the availability, adequacy, coordination, or delivery of supportive services; (G) the support service needs of frail residents of assisted housing are beyond the resources and experience that housing managers have for meeting such needs; (H) supportive services would promote the invaluable option of independent living for nonelderly persons with disabilities in federally assisted housing; (I) approximately 25 percent of congregate housing services program sites provide congregate services to young individuals with disabilities; (J) to the extent that institutionalized older adults do not need the full costly support provided by such care, public moneys could be more effectively spent providing the necessary services in a noninstitutional setting; and (K) the Congregate Housing Services Program, established by Congress in 1978, and similar programs providing in-home services have been effective in preventing unnecessary institutionalization and encouraging deinstitutionalization.

(2) Purposes The purposes of this section are— (A) to provide assistance to retrofit individual dwelling units and renovate public and common areas in eligible housing to meet the special physical needs of eligible residents; (B) to create and rehabilitate congregate space in or adjacent to such housing to accommodate supportive services that enhance independent living; (C) to improve the capacity of management to assess the service needs of eligible residents, coordinate the provision of supportive services that meet the needs of eligible residents and ensure the long-term provision of such services; (D) to provide services in federally assisted housing to prevent premature and inappropriate institutionalization in a manner that respects the dignity of the elderly and persons with disabilities; (E) to provide readily available and efficient supportive services that provide a choice in supported living arrangements by utilizing the services of an on-site coordinator, with emphasis on maintaining a continuum of care for the vulnerable elderly; (F) to improve the quality of life of older Americans living in federally assisted housing; (G) to preserve the viability of existing affordable housing projects for lower-income older residents who are aging in place by assisting managers of such housing with the difficulties and challenges created by serving older residents; (H) to develop partnerships between the Federal Government and State governments in providing services to the frail elderly and persons with disabilities; and (I) to utilize Federal and State funds in a more cost-effective and humane way in serving the needs of older adults.