
Commerce partners with DSHS and HUD to house Washingtonians with disabilities in memory of Dan Thompson
Since 2022, more than $51 million from the Dan Thompson Account has supported organizations that serve people with developmental disabilities and their families.
Dan Thompson was born with Down syndrome in 1968, when few thought he could meaningfully contribute to society. His family persisted to find developmental resources, advocacy communities, and normative experiences that helped him to thrive. With the support and advocacy of his mother, Dan transcended projected outcomes: He graduated from a general population high school, volunteered in many positions, and exceled at a job in the Microsoft mail room.
Sadly, Dan died when he was 36. Dan was beloved by many, especially amongst development disabilities advocates. In 2005, the Washington State Legislature established the Dan Thompson Developmental Disabilities Community Services Account, through which the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) funds community organizations and municipalities to better serve those with intellectual and development disabilities (IDDs).
Funding from the Dan Thompson Account has been distributed in 18 of Washington’s counties between 2022 and 2024. The Dan Thompson Account funds projects such as upgrading and purchasing accessible facilities, building program capacity to increase community outreach, and delivering evidence-based services that allow individuals with IDDs to thrive, as he did. In 2024, the Dan Thompson Account was awarded the Cathy Anderson Award for Public-Private Partnership by the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Servicesfor following a vision of meaningful community integration and person-centeredness.
The Dan Thompson Account also funds affordable housing projects for people with IDDs, for which there is great need. As of 2022, more than 37,000 adults in Washington faced housing insecurity. Additionally, the rate of housing construction for adults with IDDs in the 2010s has been lower than in previous decades. Individuals with disabilities often depend on specialized affordable housing, as Washington adults with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to experience poverty compared to those without disabilities. Review the DSHS website to learn more about housing needs and socio-economic disparities for those with disabilities in Washington.
Confronting this need for affordable and accessible housing, the Department of Commerce’s Multifamily Housing Unit partnered with DSHS in 2022, with funding support from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 811 program. Together, they have distributed more than $16 million to fund the capital construction of new housing opportunities for people with IDDs, providing housing for 82 individuals across 17 sites in communities like Bremerton, Tacoma, Port Angeles and Vancouver.
Commerce staff ensure that housing projects comply with community laws and state regulations and see the human impact of these developments. Scotty Mills and Kim Snell, project managers in the Multifamily Housing Unit, remember the father of one resident who had to travel three hours to visit his child. Now his daughter lives in a more home-like environment in community, which allows more time with her family and easy in-home access to necessary medical services.
Kim and Scotty hope for more of these projects to serve community members with IDDs. Speaking of the work between DSHS and Commerce, Kim says “This collaboration opens the door to get individuals out of institutions” and aims to improve the quality of life and dignity for future residents.
You can find more news about future affordable housing funding opportunities on the Commerce website.