Why??

Housing Crisis by the Numbers

What Is a Regional Center Client?

In California, Regional Centers are nonprofit agencies contracted by the state’s Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to coordinate services and supports for people with developmental disabilities (such as autism, intellectual disability, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, etc.).

A Regional Center client is an individual who has been assessed as eligible and is receiving (or awaiting) services under California’s developmental disability system. These services are intended to help with daily living, social inclusion, and quality of life.

Because the system is complex and under-resourced, many clients and their families struggle to access housing that is safe, stable, and supportive.

1. Regional Center Clients in California

• California is served by 21 Regional Centers, covering all counties (or groups of counties).

• In 2021–22, among Regional Center clients age 22 and older, 144,446 individuals were living in one of these settings: family home, community care, or independent / supported living.

  • 93,906 of them lived in a family home

  • 22,795 lived in community care facilities (group homes)

  • 27,745 lived in independent or supported living settings (outside of family home with support staff)

• According to The Arc of California, many clients continue to remain in the family home beyond age 22:

  • 92.7% of clients aged 18–21 live with family

  • 78.5% of clients aged 22–31

  • 58.8% of clients aged 32–41

Takeaway: A large majority of adults with developmental disabilities in California stay in family homes often well past the age when “independence” is possible, because alternative housing options are scarce or inaccessible. And when their caregivers/parents die then what??

2. Living with Family: The Hidden Reality

• Nationally, it's estimated that 7.43 million people have intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD).

• In the U.S., roughly 1 million households include an adult with I/DD living with and depending on an aging caregiver.

• Over 75% of people with I/DD live with family rather than institutional or residential settings (group home).

• As family caregivers age or face health challenges, the stability of remaining in the family home becomes fragile.

Thus, many families are silently shouldering a long-term care burden, often without a sustainable backup option for the future.

3. Barriers to Affordable, Accessible Housing

• Many individuals with I/DD rely on SSI / SSP (Supplemental Security Income / State Supplement), which often leaves less than $300/month available to contribute to housing, when following the standard guideline that housing should take no more than 30% of one’s income.

• “Affordable housing” isn’t enough — accessible design, staff support, proximity to services all increase costs, making many units out of reach.

• Because appropriate housing is limited, some individuals end up in institutional settings or wait years for placements.

• State audits have found that Regional Center service coordinators often have more clients than legally allowed, reducing effective support for housing planning. For example, one audit showed some coordinators serving ~86 clients, exceeding the legal limit of 62.

• At the state level, California is pushing updates to its Master Plan for Developmental Services to expand more community-based housing options.

Result: Even when people qualify for services, the system’s limitations and resource constraints make accessing a suitable home extremely difficult.

4. Bringing It Closer to Home: Placer County Snapshot

While detailed, up-to-date local data for I/DD housing in Placer County is scarce, here are relevant indicators and context:

• Placer County’s population is growing: ~433,822 (estimate 2024).

• In Placer, the rate of children (school age) with disabilities is about 3.1% of students — lower than the U.S. average of 4.7%.

• Homelessness is a challenge: In a recent report, 1,992 people in Placer County were identified as homeless, with 1,084 considered chronically homeless.

• The county health assessment identifies homelessness, mental health, and cognitive/aging health issues as key priorities.

Rise’s mission in Placer:
With homelessness already present and a growing population, the region can ill afford to lack housing options for vulnerable adults with disabilities. As families age, the lack of local, supportive housing will become more acute unless proactive steps are taken now.

5. What These Numbers Mean: A Simple Case Example

Imagine 100 adults with developmental disabilities in your region:

• Based on California proportions, 70+ may still be living with family (not by choice, but by default).

• Many cannot afford even a modest housing unit, let alone one with accessibility and support.

• As caregivers grow older or require health support, the stability of their situation is at risk.

• Without new housing solutions, these individuals may be forced into institutional settings, long waits, or move far from home, or end up homeless.