Social Security Disability Housing Assistance: What You Need to Know

Disabled people have no boundary of suffering when they have limited income. This income may not be enough to pay house rent and other utility costs. But the most unfortunate issue for them is they don’t earn due to their inability because they may have serious injury, long-term illness, or debilitating conditions. 

When it comes to social security for the disabled, there are two types of programs Social Security Disability insurance (SSDI) and Social Security Income (SSI). These programs provide benefits to qualified disabled individuals that may be helpful for spending for the cost of a disability, treating medical conditions, and living expenses with their impairment.

This disability benefit may be used to meet your needs as well. So there is a common question does social security provide assistance on housing for disabled people? We have answered this question and covered many housing options for disabled people. So this read can be a good one when you are from this reality. 

Ways to Getting Housing Assistance with Social Security Disability

Social security is one of the government programs for people at their retirement, being disabled and support for legal dependents. But there are Social security disability insurance (SSDI) and supplemental security income (SSI) 

• SSDI: Social security disability insurance is a social security program to make sure disabled people can get monthly benefits because they are no longer to work due to serious injury, long-term illness, and debilitating condition. Monthly benefits may be limited, but these are essential in this condition. When they have medical bills and living expenses, they can meet such this benefit. Housing Assistance may not be available directly as well. 
• SSI: Social security income is another program to make sure adults and children can get monthly checks. This monthly check is important when they are disabled and blind and have a very limited income. Additionally, adults who are 65 years old and older can also get such benefits as well.

There is no direct assistance with housing from SSDI and SSI. But it is important to note that people with disability have numerous housing options to go. There are different housing programs from the government like section 8, public housing, Section 811, and different housing programs to let them provide housing that suits their need. We will discuss such options as well. 

Types Of Disability Housing Assistance

So there are some types of government housing Assistance to make sure disabled people can get a better place to live. When they are entitled to SSDI and SSI, they are protected in accordance with the Federal Fair Housing Act. The need of housing for those types of people will be considered an important and emergency issue as well.

Public housing 

The low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities may find affordable housing from public housing. Public housing is run by HUD, which ensures low-income and affordable housing for people who don’t get houses for higher rent prices. Local public housing agencies get money to operate and manage to ensure housing for those people. Houses at subsidized rates are possible, and it also ensures safe and healthy places to live.

When it comes to disabled people, there are supportive abs independent housing where the disabled may get facilities like handrails, disability-designed showers, and many more. Some eligibility criteria need to be ensured, which are set by HUD. It is important to check out income limits for the program as well. 

• Lower income limits come as 80% of the median in the metropolitan area or county. 
• Very low income limits come as 50% of the median income for the metropolitan area and county 
• People are the elderly, senior citizens and a person with disabilities 
• US citizenship or immigration status 
• Rental history status. 

Section 811

Section 811 is one of the helpful programs for disabled people, and it is from the government. It is highly designed for the disabled to ensure safe and supportive housing for them. The programs ensure funding and subsidies and capital advanced to the nonprofit development companies to build housing. Then they will offer affordable housing and gives people project rental assistance with the help of state housing agencies. 

Eligibility: families with at least one adult member living with a disability can apply. This disability includes chronic mental illness, developmental disability or serious physical handicap. Then very low income is another eligibility criterion that need to be measured as within 30-50% of the median income of the area. 

Housing choice voucher 

Housing choice voucher is another program that is one of the popular and HUD’s major housing Assistance programs. This is also income-based assistance and formerly known as section 8. This program is highly-designed for the very low-income, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The eligible families may choose houses in the privately owned housing market. A portion of the house rent is to be paid to the landlords and the rest is paid by this housing choice voucher. so there are some eligibility criteria and it is important to know such information as well.

• Low income defined by HUD
• Family composition 
• Citizenship status and immigration status 

Tenant based voucher 

Voucher is a great program for low-income and disabled people. This voucher is provided to make sure they can live in an affordable unit. The unit must be approved by PHA, and the voucher amount goes to the unit’s owner. PHA contracts with the Units owner about paying the subsidized payment for house rent. When the families and disabled have to move, the contract is dismissed, but voucher programs stay with the families. In this case, they need to follow the program requirements as well. 

Project-based vouchers 

Project-based voucher is going to be another option to go for disabled and low-income families. The private landlords make contracts with the state and local PHA to arrange affordable housing for disabled and low-income families. This voucher program is tied with some specific units in specific areas. So disabled and low-income families can have a better option to live in this type of setup because there are service providers who work for them. 

Mainstream voucher 

Mainstream voucher is for disabled people 18 to 61 years old and needs housing assistance. According to HUD, more than 66000 people get such vouchers to make sure housing is more affordable for them. 

Non-elderly disabled voucher 

Non-elderly disabled voucher is another great option as part of housing Assistance. The head of the family may be disabled, and it may be tough to go to housing. Part of this is that more than 55000 people have the benefits of non-elderly disabled vouchers according to HUD. 

HUD VA supportive housing voucher 

The Veterans are real heroes for their service and sacrifice. For the betterment of their life and family members, the US Department of Veterans Affairs has so many programs for them. Part of this the HUD-Veterans Affairs supportive housing program ensures HUD’s HCV rental assistance with the help of case management and clinical service from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This voucher program is highly important for those who are homeless and are supposed to be homeless. 

Housing Assistance for homeless people with disabilities 

Homeless with disabilities are in a very sad condition because they are supposed to have no income and need housing. For this, the program continuum of care is one of the helpful programs to arrange immediate and long-term housing Assistance for homeless people with disabilities. The conditions of disabilities may be mental illness, chronic problems with alcohol and drugs and certain conditions like Aids and these may work as eligibility criteria. Additionally, people also need to be referred by an agency that has an agreement with a local PHA. So one may contact City or County public housing agency or may search by Continuum of care partner near me on Google. Then they can get a place to get started. 

National Housing Trust Fund

National Housing Trust Fund is one of the great resources for housing assistance. It is one of the new and dedicated funds that is used at the state level for building houses for people with a very low income. So this resource may be another way to go for housing assistance for disabled people. 

Other Resources For Housing Assistance For Disabled

Even though there are so many government programs to help in terms of housing, but there are also some organizations that understand the need of housing for disabled people. So we are going to discuss some organizations that helps with housing for the disabled. 

Habitat for Humanity 

Habitat for Humanity may be one of the helpful resources to get housing for disabled people. Housing for disabled people is important, ensuring a better living in this stage. If they don’t have a much better living, they will face more problems. Then some charities and non-profit organizations come forward to help them live well and safely. Habitat works for construction, repair, home improvement, and many more to ensure better and safer living for disabled people. So disabled people may check out such a program by visiting their website to see if any housing assistance is available according to their location. 

United Way 

Disabled people have limited physical capacity to visit an organization that deals with housing Assistance. If it is about studying and researching such assistance by staying at home, this can also be helpful. 211, you need to call this number and ask for available housing Assistance. Your call is important to them because you are searching for such assistance. So the authority responding to your call may direct you or the available sources of housing Assistance according to your location.

The fuller Center for Housing 

The fuller center for housing will be a good place to go for housing assistance. It was founded by the couple who also started Habitat for Humanity, and it may be located easily because there are 60 cities where this platform can be reached. They assist low-income people, and they find out from the grassroots level by partnering with local Churches and other faith-based organizations. They also go partnerships with individuals, organizations, and local communities to ensure housing for those who don’t afford it. So this can be another way to seek assistance with housing as well. 

1Mission 

1Mission is a great organization because it believes in letting people earn their homes by serving their community. The organization also firmly believes that getting people from the hardships of poverty is great to work and provides different means of housing. If you as disabled need housing Assistance, it is important to check their program by visiting their website in case there is any assistance on housing according to your location. 

Building homes for heroes 

Building homes for heroes is a national organization that works for veterans. They ensure a single home for every veteran and so far 250 houses have been built under this program and they hope to build 500 homes by 2025. Every eleven days, a house is gifted to the Veterans or disabled Veterans. It is true that Veterans are real hero’s for their services and sacrifice. They may also be disabled and homeless for any reason. They may also check out this program because it aims to eliminate housing problems from their life. 

Applying Procedure for Housing For People With Disabilities

So the first step to go is the application process and different programs require such process with necessary documents as evidence of your information. When you are going to apply for section 811, you need to know what you require to start the such application process. Additionally, different programs may be different and ask for different types of requirements as well. So we are going to discuss the application process for this program. 

• The applicant from a single household must be 18 years old and it is about being adult for primary eligibility 
• Then one family member must have disability such as serious medical conditions, chronic mental illness, physical handicap and some type of developmental disability 
• The applicant need to be low-income and have no savings to pay for rent. Low income is defined as a percentage of the area’s median income. They do have not enough income and savings to pay rent for getting disability housing Assistance and which is also considered as a social security benefit. 
• The private owners provide housing in such type of cases and they must agree with HUD program and accepts voucher or grants to ensure handicapped-friendly unit. 
• Disabled veterans can also go to affordable housing from section 811 with no waiting list. 

Here is how to apply: There are local non-profit organizations and local government organizations in your location. It is important to get started from there. Part of this a local public housing agency may be a good start for any housing Assistance or other HUD program. Then you should know the application process and provide accurate information in the field of the application. 

How to find a local public housing agency: People with disability may face difficulties finding local public housing agencies, it is just about studying and researching and they can get started by visiting the website as well as contacting PHA in your location. But if they find such a local public housing agency, this is going to be a good deal. At least they can get started with the application process indeed. You can find local public housing agencies on the HUD website by clicking state name or ZIP code. Then you can know numerous housing options according to your state.

Final Verdict

Disabled people are less fortunate because of their physical incapacity. For this, it is common to know that they may not get housing according to their need. Most often they find housing near their communities instead of institutional settings. When they are SSDI and SSI entitled, they are more likely to receive housing assistance because disability may be eligibility criterion and there is no need to prove if they are disabled or not. So you as disabled people study and research for housing assistance when you are getting such benefits.