Olmstead Housing Subsidy (OHS)

Important information on the Olmstead Housing Subsidy (OHS) and coronavirus (COVID-19) in now available. Please visit: https://ilny.us/program-information-regarding-coronavirus-covid-19

Olmstead Housing Subsidy (OHS) is a statewide rental subsidy and transitional housing support service program for high-need Medicaid beneficiaries. The funding was made available as part of the Medicaid Redesign Team’s Supportive Housing Workgroup initiative to help address the needs of eligible Medicaid participants in transitioning from nursing home settings or preventing nursing home placement.

Eligible participants of the program are those enrolled in Medicaid who are homeless, living in a Skilled Nursing Facility for at least 120 consecutive days, and have the ability to live safely in the community.

The OHS subsidy is modeled after the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) and Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) waiver subsidy programs in that the individual is required to pay 30% of their monthly income, less allowances. There will also be funding available for “community transition services” which includes security deposits, moving expenses, utility payments and household establishment purchases.

NYAIL is partnering with member ILCs to staff housing specialists across the state to provide outreach to, and assist eligible individuals with OHS program enrollment.

Olmstead Housing Subsidy Referral Form.

OHS Referral Form

List of Regional Contacts.

Housing Specialist Contact List (DOC)

OHS informational brochure for participants and social workers.

NYAIL OHS Insert

OHS informational brochure for existing landlords and tenants.

OHS Landlord Brochure

Olmstead Housing Database

For more information, please contact:

Valerie Brennan
Director of Housing Programs
155 Washington Ave, Suite 208
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 518-465-4650 x110
Fax 518-465-4625
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Olmstead Housing Subsidy Regional Contacts
Regional Counties	Contact Information	Auxiliary Independent Living Centers
Albany North Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren, Washington	Southern Adirondack Independent Living Center (SAIL) Sharon Frederick (lead) 418 Geyser Road Ballston Spa, NY Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 518-584-8202 Fax: 518-584-1195	North Country Center for Independence, Plattsburgh Carissa Baiano Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 518-563-9058
Albany South Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie	Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley (ILCHV) Hunter Share (lead) 15-17 Third Street, Troy, NY 12180 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 518-274-0701 Fax: 518-274-7944	Capital District Center for Independence, Albany Shannon DeMayo Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 518-459-6422
Buffalo Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming	Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL) Lynnette Torgalski (lead) 3108 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14214 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 716-284-4131 Fax: 716-835-3967	Southwestern Independent Living Center, Jamestown David Marg Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 716-661-3010
Long Island Nassau, Suffolk	Suffolk Independent Living Organization (SILO) Lori Corrar (lead) 3253 Route 112 Medford, NY 11763 Email:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 631-880-7929 Fax: 631-946-6377	OHS Housing Specialist at SILO Angelica Licciardi Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lower Hudson Valley Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester	Westchester Independent Living Center (WILC) Don Wiggins (lead) 10 County Center Road, 2nd Floor White Plains, NY 10607 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 914-682-3926	Resource Center for Accessible Living, Kingston Tom Caplan Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 845-331-0541 Rockland Independent Living Center, New City LaTerra McGee Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 845-624-1366 Taconic Resources for Independence, Poughkeepsie Gemma Gaspard Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 845-452-3913 Westchester Disabled on the Move, Yonkers Vacant / Maria Samuels Tel: 914-968-4717
New York City Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond	Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York (CIDNY) Don Rickenbaugh (lead) 80-02 Kew Gardens Suite 400 Kew Gardens, NY 11415 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 646-442-1520 Fax: 718-866-1069 Housing specialists: Jorge Gomez Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ester Benjamin Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Christina Mora Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled, Brooklyn Desimarie Wright Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 718-998-3000 Bronx Independent Living Services, Bronx Irving McDonald Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 718-515-2800 Kimberly Escolastico Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 718-515-2800
Rochester Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, Yates	Center for Disability Rights (CDR) John Simaitis (lead) 497 State Street Rochester, NY 14608 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 585-546-7510 Fax: 585-546-7542
Southern Tier Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins	Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC) Kimberly Kappler (Lead) 135 East Fredrick St. Binghamton, NY 13904 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 607-724-2111 Fax: 607-772-3606 OHS assistant: Michael Phillips	AIM Independent Living Center, Corning LaTrisha Gaboriault Tel: 607-962-8225 ex. 141 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Access to Independence, Cortland Terri Rigge Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 607-753-7363 Catskill Center for Independence, Oneonta Meghan Starring Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 607-432-8000
Syracuse Madison, Onondaga, Oswego, Herkimer, Lewis, Oneida, St. Lawrence, Jefferson	ARISE Independent Living Center Kate Haskins (lead) 635 James Street Syracuse, NY 13203 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 315-671-2992 Fax: 315-671-2977 Housing Specialist: Tammy Deitrich Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.	Massena Independent Living Center, Massena Tina Laflesh Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 315-764-9442 Resource Center for Independent Living, Utica Cliff Franklin Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 315-797-4642

Success Story

Elizabeth M. (OHS)

What’s your Olmstead story?
“I first heard about OHS through Dominic at the NE center. He was the discharge guy. And he told me that Olmstead would help you with your rent; which is a good thing and then I see what’s left over (money-wise). Then I was put on the TBI waiver which helped me. Then I moved here.”

When she got to her new apartment:
“It felt good. I was nervous. It was good to get out of the NE Center. I have my own place. And I was able to have peace and quiet. It’s a lot better than being in a recovery place where there’s a lot of people and noise around you. And people telling you what to do.”

What do you want people out there to know about OHS?
“Do your work, have patience and it will all come.”, “I think Olmstead is good because they help you find a place where you want to go, housing and stuff. They provide what you need when you get out so you’re not stuck in rehab for a couple of years. … Or you end up homeless if you leave the nursing home… and you’re stuck with the bill from the nursing home. “ “If it wasn’t for Olmstead I’d be homeless.”