People Inc.
Residential Opportunities – How the Process Works
Feb 04, 2026
If you are thinking about when or how to request residential support for a loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability, the prospect can be daunting.
People Inc. provides residential services at 155 group homes throughout the Western New York and Rochester regions, but it’s important to understand New York State’s process for those seeking a residential placement.
OPWDD requires all providers to work within the “Certified Residential Opportunities” (CRO) process. The CRO is a list that manages and tracks people who are actively looking for housing, in order to work with care coordinators and residential providers like People Inc. to identify opportunities and place people in the best living situation possible.
When someone is referred to the CRO, the regional office staff assess the person’s need for a certified setting and determine a “level of need,” either “Current,” Substantial” or “Emergency.” The Emergency cases are top priority and submitted regularly to providers. Before they can consider someone who is not considered at an “Emergency” level of need, providers are asked to review Emergency Need lists and identify individuals for screening whose needs may be met in existing vacancies.
OPWDD provides the following examples for each level of need:
Emergency
At risk of homelessness; immediate risk to health/safety; caregiver is incapacitated; or person is ready for hospital discharge or discharge from incarceration.
Substantial
Increasing risk of no permanent home, including caregiver becoming increasingly unable to continue to manage a person’s needs; health and safety of a person is increasingly at risk; person is transitioning from a residential school, program or skilled nursing facility to the community.
Current
A person has indicated a need for residential placement and is ready to actively seek a residential opportunity, but the need does not meet the above qualifications.
Learn more on OPWDD's website.