Last September, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $98.5 million to 285 local public housing authorities across the country to provide permanent affordable housing to nearly 12,000 additional non-elderly people with disabilities. PHAs were encouraged to partner with health & human services agencies.
Centers for Independent Living across the U.S. were encouraged by NCIL to work with their local public housing authorities (PHA) to jointly apply for these funds. The housing assistance is provided through HUD’s Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides funding to housing agencies to assist non-elderly people with disabilities who are:
- transitioning out of institutional or other separated settings;
- at serious risk of institutionalization;
- homeless; or
- at risk of becoming homeless.
The NCIL Housing Subcommittee would like to hear from any Center that applied as a partner with your local PHA to gather more information in the following areas:
- How many CILs were jointly awarded vouchers with their local PHA?
- How many vouchers were allocated?
- What your experience has been like to date working with the voucher program and your local PHA?
- What challenges have you encountered?
- Did the PHA require a prioritization process for applicants?
Affordable and accessible housing continues to be a major hurdle for many individuals with disabilities. The voucher program helps to further the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Olmstead decision by helping persons with disabilities live in the most integrated setting.
The NCIL Housing Subcommittee wishes to gather information from all Centers collaborating with their local PHAs to coordinate voluntary services and supports to enable individuals to live independently in the community.
If you were one of the award recipients, we would love to hear from you!
Please send an email to [email protected] to share your information and experience. With sufficient feedback, we hope to coordinate a virtual meeting for all to participate.
