From the [Salt Lake City, Utah] Deseret News:

Some 500 people with disabilities have set up a tent city at a major government agency to protest what organizers say is federal underfunding of housing options for people with disabilities. They are occupying a spot outside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development office building.

Event organizers from the advocacy group ADAPT said candidates are talking about young children with disabilities, but they should be talking about adults with disabilities who must try to survive on extremely low incomes.

Advocates said they planned to stay at the encampment until Thursday to lobby for the Community Choice Act, which would help people with disabilities live on their own instead of being forced by circumstances to live in nursing homes and care centers. Barack Obama has endorsed the measure, while John McCain has opposed it.

From the McClean, Virginia, Connection:

Ten people were arrested at the Arlington, Virginia, headquarters of Sen. John McCain this week after a group of ADAPT protesters entered the office and refused to leave. After a standoff that lasted several hours, police officers ejected them. They were charged with trespassing. “They can protest,” said one officer, “But they can’t protest on private property.”

See earlier posts here and here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 16th, 2008 at 11:29 am and is filed under Campaign 2008, accessibility, advocacy, housing, independent living, institutionalization, nursing homes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post