Abstract
East Bay Innovations (EBI) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 and located in Alameda County, California, east of San Francisco. It arranges and provides personalized supports that enable people with disabilities to live in their own homes, work in jobs of their choice, and participate fully in their communities. EBI staff are recognized leaders and innovators who have built trusted relationships with diverse partners to create affordable, accessible housing and help people with disabilities move from institutions and unstable or inadequate housing to permanent homes in the community. Interviews with 25 key informants helped identify five organizational attributes that underpin EBI’s success and that could serve as models for advocates. These are vision and commitment; mastery of housing programs and policies; community-building through creative collaborations; expertise working with people with complex disabilities and familiarity with the practical details of architectural accessibility; and frequent, successful use of reasonable accommodation to remove policy barriers preventing people with disabilities from renting affordable housing. The study also identified systemic barriers and facilitators to creating affordable, accessible housing and related legal and policy solutions