Most family caregivers want their loved one to live a full life independently. Safety and well-being are a top priority. But in this economy, finding affordable housing for people with disabilities can feel nearly impossible. Costs have soared in most metropolitan areas, and rural areas may not have accessible affordable housing.
The Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program is a valuable aid in your housing search. This program provides rental subsidies and support services for very low-income adults with disabilities. Ahead, what you need to know about Section 811.
Aging adults and persons with disabilities living on extremely low incomes may struggle to afford soaring housing costs. Section 811 is a government program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designed to provide affordable housing with supportive services for people with disabilities.
The program is funded and regulated by the federal government to ensure housing assistance for very low-income individuals with disabilities.
The program has rental housing options and services for people in need so they have access to critical support.
The Section 811 program has two main ways to help renters with disabilities: First, it provides interest-free capital advances and operating subsidies to nonprofit developers of affordable housing. Second, it offers project rental assistance to state housing agencies. This assistance can be used for new or existing multifamily housing complexes funded through various sources.
HUD offers assistance in creating affordable rental housing for people with disabilities. This includes independent living projects, condos, and small group homes that come with supportive services, like case management, help with daily living activities, training in independent living skills, or access to healthcare and employment support tailored to the needs of people with disabilities. HUD provides interest-free loans to nonprofits to help cover the cost of building, fixing, or buying this type of housing. The loan doesn't need to be repaid as long as the housing is available for low-income people with disabilities for at least 40 years.
The Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act created a new Rental Assistance Program, which started in 2012. State housing agencies can apply for this program to help make new or existing affordable housing developments more accessible for people with disabilities. These developments are often funded by programs like Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) or HOME funds.
The rental assistance is available through state housing agencies that partner with health and Medicaid agencies. These health agencies create policies to ensure the housing goes to those who need it most, including setting up a referral process, tenant selection criteria, and service delivery plans. This assistance only covers rent, with no additional funding for construction or repairs.
To qualify for housing funded by capital advances, households must have very low income (within 50 percent of the area's median income) and at least one adult member with a physical or developmental disability or chronic mental illness.
To qualify for housing funded with Project Rental Assistance, residents must have a very low income (within 30 percent of the area's median income), and at least one adult member must have a disability. States can set additional requirements for this program.
When seeking Section 811 housing benefits, renters don't apply for grants themselves. Instead, you apply for housing or rental assistance directly through housing providers or agencies that have received Section 811 funding.
Here's how renters can apply to benefit:
State housing agencies or local housing authorities can also help renters navigate these programs and apply for housing assistance.
