Our nation is facing an acute and growing adult autism housing crisis, a problem that is particularly dire for adults with profound autism. Several factors have combined to lead to this urgent situation, including:

• Unprecedented population. The population of adults with developmental disability-type autism has grown dramatically over the past decade.
• Aging parents. The vast majority of autistic adults live at home with their parents. The inevitable aging and death of the autism parent generation is leaving an ever-increasing number of adults without supported housing.
• Behaviors and vulnerability. Autism often involves behavioral challenges such as property destruction, loud vocalizations, aggression and self-injury. These behaviors render many adults “difficult to serve,” vulnerable to exclusion and eviction from community settings, and in need of specialized and well supervised options.
• Closure of state-funded options. The dismantling of state institutions and other state-funded options such as intermediate care facilities (ICFs) has often occurred without creation of affordable community-based alternatives suitable and affordable for those with intensive support needs. Most adults with autism have incomes limited to social security payments, which seldom can cover the costs of standard housing, much less specialty housing. (National Council on Severe Autism, July 2019.)

Over the next decade, the CDC estimates that 500,000 teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder will age out of their school-based services and move into adulthood. As adults, the need and desire for person-centered housing opportunities is growing exponentially. An estimated 80,000 individuals sit on waiting lists that can be as long as 15 years. The number of individuals on waiting lists is expected to grow as the prevalence of Autism is predicted to increase by 15% over the next ten years. The discrepancy between availability and need is an ever-expanding chasm. (Autism Spectrum News, July 1, 2019)