Independent Living For People With Disabilities
The Independent Living Rehabilitation Program helps consumers live a more independent life. IL provides an alternative to living in a nursing home or other facility for eligible individuals. Services are person-centered and may be provided directly, purchased or coordinated through other community resources. If the Independent Living program is unable to meet a person’s needs, that individual may be referred to other partners for services as appropriate.Services may include:
You may be eligible for IL services if:
- You have a significant disability
- The disability severely limits your ability to live independently
- Our services will improve your ability to live independently
The financial resources of eligible individuals will be considered for the delivery of some services provided under the IL program. Some services are available to eligible individuals without regard to their financial need.
Key Federal Housing Initiatives
Key programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that seek to increase affordable housing for people with disabilities include:
Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program. Section 811 is the only HUD program dedicated to producing affordable, accessible housing in the community for non-elderly, very low-income people with significant disabilities.
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. HUDs Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program helps very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities afford rental housing in the private market. About 1 in 3 households using Section 8 vouchers are headed by a non-elderly person with a disability.
National Housing Trust Fund. The National Housing Trust Fund is a new, dedicated fund that provides grants to states to build, preserve, and rehabilitate housing for people with the lowest incomes.
National Housing Trust Fund
The National Housing Trust Fund helps non-elderly and low-income destitute families maintain decent housing. It is a continuous fund with a 10% allocation for rental housing. Housing assistance frequently includes assistance with other basic expenses, such as utilities, provided by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
The majority of funds are used to maintain rental properties, but 10% are used to assist the poor, non-elderly, disabled, and first-time home buyers. The funds are distributed by the states through for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that adhere to the ACT’s guidelines.
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Determine Reasonable Accommodations And Modifications
Reasonable accommodation or modification is any adjustment to space, rule or policy that enables a disabled person the equal opportunity to use and live in a space. While certain improvements qualify a place as handicap accessible, they won’t meet the needs of every tenant. Advocate for what you need.
Any renter with a physical or mental disability is legally entitled to make requests for reasonable accommodations and modifications. Landlords can also legally ask a prospective tenant how a particular modification or alternation will help improve their life.
The landlord isn’t required to pay for modifications. But if you ask for a modification that should have already been made under ADA guidelines, the landlord will be responsible for the cost.
Common accommodation requests for people with mobility limitations include special door handles, lowered countertops and wheelchair access. Adding grab bars, single-level faucets, rocker light switches and front-loading washing machines and dryers are also common. Tactile strips, non-stick flooring and bright lights help the visually impaired. Visual fire and carbon monoxide alarm and video entrance systems are necessary for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Barriers To Apartment Living For Adult Children With Special Needs
Apartment living looks different for everyone: Some call a studio home others, especially people with limited mobility, may require more space. But before you and your child start knocking on the doors of potential homes, its important to know the potential issues waiting on the other side. Understanding your housing rights and the challenges ahead will give you the courage to answer listings with confidence.
Financial concerns are no small matter. A child with a special need presents a financial challenge for some families, which may limit a parents ability to save. Further, adult children with disabilities may find it difficult to earn a living wage. The following action items will prepare you for the road ahead.
Housing discrimination is an unfortunate reality for people living with disabilities especially those looking for their first rental. As a parent of an adult child with special needs, you are an ally in the fight for fair housing and the rights of your child afforded by the FHA.
Housing associations, landlords, subletters: All of these organizations and people can discriminate either knowingly or unknowingly. Its up to you to advocate for your son or daughter.
The following are examples of violations related to each of the main tenets of the FHA, or the sections of the law that support the rights of people with disabilities.
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Apply For A Service Animal
If you are thinking about getting a service animal, first contact your medical provider. Find out if your disability is covered under the ADA and whether you need a service animal. Your doctor can help provide medical documentation and find a training program. You can also explore a list of service animal programs online. Before deciding on a program, make sure you research each organization carefully.
What Evidence Can Plan
The age profile of the population can be drawn from Census data. Projections of population and households by age group can also be used. The future need for specialist accommodation for older people broken down by tenure and type may need to be assessed and can be obtained from a number of online tool kits provided by the sector, for example SHOP@ , which is a tool for forecasting the housing and care needs of older people. Evidence from Joint Strategic Needs Assessments prepared by Health and Wellbeing Boards can also be useful. The assessment of need can also set out the level of need for residential care homes.
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Revision date: 26 June 2019
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The Americans With Disabilities Act
The ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law for persons with disabilities. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all programs, services, and activities provided or made available by public entities . This includes housing when the housing is provided or made available by a public entity regardless of whether the entity receives federal financial assistance. For example, housing covered by Title II of the ADA includes housing operated by public housing agencies that meet the ADAs definition of public entity, and housing operated by States or units of local government, such as housing on a State university campus.
Title III of the ADA prohibits private entities that own, lease , and operate places of public accommodation from discriminating on the basis of disability and requires places of public accommodation and commercial facilities to be designed, constructed, and altered in compliance with established accessibility standards. Public accommodations at housing developments include any public areas that are open to the general public, such as a rental office. Public accommodations would also include, for example, shelters and social service establishments.
For more information on the Americans with Disabilities Act, visit the Department of Justice ADA page.
Social Security Disability Housing Assistance
There are many obstacles to housing for people with disabilities. Many disabled people are at risk of institutionalization or destitution in the absence of affordable, accessible housing in the community.
Disabled people who rely solely on Social Security Disability Insurance benefits without additional income may have trouble affording housing or rent. SSDI recipients are frequently unable to afford the rental market in the United States due to their low income, unless they have another source of livelihood.
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Will I Be Charged More Rent For Apartments Because Of My Disability
No, you will not be charged more rent for apartments because of your disability as there are HUD guidelines and other rules and regulations. Thus, the landlord cannot ask for more rent according to the fair housing act. It is illegal if a landlord forces you to pay more rent and you can directly report it to the nearest public housing agency or you can also contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The rent is generally fixed according to the location of your house and thus the landlord cannot charge more money.
Section 811 Supportive Apartments For People With Disabilities Program
Section 811 is supportive housing for persons with disabilities. The disabled people can live independently in the community by getting a subsidized rental housing opportunity. The land developers get the subsidy and interest-free capital advances from the government to build housing so that they can arrange affordable housing for disabled people.
Section 811 housing program is supported by project rental assistance contracts. This program aims to ensure affordable housing for low-income people who have at least an adult disabled family member. The nature of disability comes with a physical or developmental disability or chronic mental illness. Income is another considerable issue for the households that need to have within 50 percent of the median income of the area.
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What Does Hud Consider A Disability
The case of disability may be sad for the people, but there is no way to ignore this disability. Even if people are disabled somehow, they cant be deprived of the rights, benefits, and facilities the same as other people. So there is a definition of disability and policy in terms of the apartment set by the HUD. So Federal non-discrimination laws indicate that a person with physical and mental incapacity is disabled, and this disability limits the major life activities. Additionally, people have to move with other help.
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher
Disabled people under the Housing Choice Voucher program can get an apartment at an affordable cost. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing Choice Voucher Program provides rental assistance to certain low-income families, elderly or disabled people who find themselves otherwise unable to afford rental housing in the private market due to a disability and have limited or no rental history.
If youre disabled and meet the eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for a voucher that can help you pay the rent on your own place.
Those interested in using this program must meet a certain set of eligibility requirements, including having a disability that requires aid in living and making less than 50 percent of the median household income as determined by HUD in their area.
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a federal program that provides rental assistance to people with disabilities. The funding for the program comes from the federal government and is disbursed through state and local housing authorities, or PHAs.
This housing choice voucher is a form of federal assistance that pays for the cost of your rent. Its available from public housing agencies, such as PHAs, and is used to help people with disabilities find affordable housing.
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Looking Out For Discriminatory Behavior
It is illegal to deny housing to anyone because of a disability. But individuals with physical or neurological disabilities often face significant housing discrimination. It is essential to know what to look out for.
- Steering: A housing provider may steer a person with a disability toward certain buildings or first floor units. If you are seeking to rent an apartment, be aware of someone who is reluctant to show you all options.
- Sly behavior: To avoid making expensive updates to a property, a landlord may be inclined to say a unit isnt available when it is. If you have doubts, ask neighbors or request additional information.
- Intrusive questions: A landlord cannot pry deeply into the nature of a tenants disability. He or she is not allowed to inquire about how a renter became disabled or whether that would hinder ones ability to pay rent on time.
- Prohibiting support animals: A support animal is not a pet under the Fair Housing Act. Provide your landlord with a letter from your doctor or therapist explaining whether you have a disability and how an animal helps you cope.
If youve faced discrimination, you can report it directly to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or call 1-800- 669-9777. Its illegal for a landlord to retaliate, hike rent prices or force an eviction because someone takes legal action against them. Organizations such as the Special Needs Alliance can also help you find an attorney.
Contribute Funds Toward An Able Account
Find out who can contribute to or benefit from an ABLE account. Or, learn about how recently enacted tax laws and regulations apply to ABLE Savings accounts.
- The maximum annual contribution limit for your account is $16,000.
- You can exclude taxes on earnings and distributions from the account. These deductions can help you pay for qualified disability expenses.
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Blueprint For Support: Finding A Program For You Or Your Child
General Financial Aid and Grants
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National MPS Society Extraordinary Experiences Grant: fill out this form to apply for a $1,000 grant that also provides a platform for people with MPS to share their experience.
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The Elsie S. Bellows Fund: explore this option if your child needs assistive technology that could support his or her independent living.
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Easterseals Grant Search: bookmark this website search term and check back often, as this disability focused organization gathers info on numerous grants from many related charities.
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GoFundMe: use this free fundraising service to ask family and friends for help with security deposits or other apartment-related startup costs.
Federal Assistance Programs
Examples of State Assistance Programs
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Home of Your Own Program : explore this program to learn how New York residents with disabilities can receive support with a new home purchase.
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Agency for Persons with Disabilities : review this initiative to see how Florida supports independent living for people with disabilities.
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HomeChoice : consider this program if you live in Illinois and need help purchasing a home.
Other Helpful Initiatives
Examples of Disability-Friendly Communities Throughout the U.S.
Other Types Of Help If Youre Homeless
Visit Benefits.gov to find out if youre eligible and how to apply for other types of help. This may include financial assistance, transportation, food, counseling, and more.
If you dont have medical insurance, you can use HRSA health centers. They give checkups, treatment when youre sick, pregnancy care, and immunizations for your children.
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Assisted Living & Community Care Facilities
Assisted Living and Community Care Facilities provide a potential housing resource for persons with disabilities. Because these facilities offer housing together with a range of services and activities, the monthly cost is generally very expensive.
Similar housing opportunities can be found on a smaller scale in residential care facilities that are licensed by the State.
These facilities generally accommodate up to six residents and are licensed for a particular type of care or shelter .
Information on licensed community care facilities in Pleasanton and the surrounding area can be obtained by contacting the State of California Community Care Licensing Division 286-4201.
Protections Under The Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against anyone with a disability. It defines a disability as any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
All people with current or past disabilities are protected by federal laws in public spaces. ADA protections only apply to public spaces like the leasing office and common rooms in apartment buildings.
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Why Is It Important To Plan For The Housing Needs Of Older People
The need to provide housing for older people is critical. People are living longer lives and the proportion of older people in the population is increasing. In mid-2016 there were 1.6 million people aged 85 and over by mid-2041 this is projected to double to 3.2 million. Offering older people a better choice of accommodation to suit their changing needs can help them live independently for longer, feel more connected to their communities and help reduce costs to the social care and health systems. Therefore, an understanding of how the ageing population affects housing needs is something to be considered from the early stages of plan-making through to decision-taking.
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Revision date: 26 June 2019
Rights Of Persons With Disabilities In Federally
Federal law makes it illegal for an otherwise qualified individual with a disability, solely because of his or her disability, to be excluded from the participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. An individual with a disability, who is also otherwise qualified for the program, service or activity, is covered under Section 504. To be qualified means the individual meets the essential eligibility requirements, including, for example, income requirements for tenancy, if the program is a housing program, provided those eligibility requirements are not discriminatory and can be met with or without reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids or services necessary for effective communication.
For more information on the rights of persons with disabilities in federally-assisted housing as well as the responsibilities of housing providers who receive federal financial assistance, visit Non-Discrimination in Housing and Community Development Programs.
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