This year, we’ve seen greater support and awareness of home- and community-based services for individuals with I/DD. As we reflect on 2019 and look forward to 2020, we consider new federal funding for disability housing and the accessibility of cities for individuals with I/DD. In this article, we explore these two elements and their impact on housing for individuals with I/DD in the new year.
New Federal Funding
This month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it will be increasing funding 325 local housing authorities nationwide to help expand affordable housing options for low-income individuals with disabilities. A total of $131.3 million has been made available to help expand the housing supply. Funding will be provided in two different areas: Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities and Section 811 Project Rental Assistance.
Most of the funding has been allocated for capital advance funding, which will be provided to nonprofit organizations pursuing permanent supportive housing models. HUD has stated that applicants in this area will ideally partner with organizations or agencies who are already helping people with disabilities live independently within their communities. Applicants who plan to construct or renovate housing in designated Opportunity Zones will be awarded extra points during evaluation, which may improve an applicant’s chance of receiving funding.
The remaining funding will be allocated for rental assistance that can be provided to any eligible housing agency that works closely with State Health and Human Services and/or Medicaid Agencies. HUD has encouraged applicants to align their proposals with existing initiatives that focus on increasing access to permanent supportive housing for low-income people with disabilities.
Accessibility-Minded Cities
In October, new results were released ranking the best places to live in the U.S. for people with disabilities. The analysis evaluated 182 of the nation’s most populated cities along 33 measures of “disability-friendliness,” which included quality of life, health care, and economy.
Cities were then ranked according to factors such as affordability, access to services, Medicaid programs, and employment rates for people with disabilities. A highlight of the results is as follows:
| 5 Highest-Rated Cities | 5 Lowest-Rated Cities |
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More Information
To learn more about any of the items covered in this post, click the links below to access additional information:
- Access an overview or apply for HUD’s Section 811 Capital Advance funding using this link.
- Access an overview or apply for HUD’s Project Rental Assistance funding using this link.
- Access WalletHub’s in-depth analysis of “Best & Worst Cities for People with Disabilities” using this link.
Sources:
- HUD Press Release No. 19-152, “HUD Offers $112 Million To Expand Affordable Housing Opportunities For Low-Income Persons With Disabilities”
- HUD Press Release No. 19-169, “HUD Awards More Than $130 Million To Provide Affordable Housing To People With Disabilities”
- Disability Scoop, “Feds Unleash $130 Million For Disability Housing”
- Disability Scoop, “Ranking Names Nation’s Most Disability-Friendly Cities”