HUD Acts to Help People with Disabilities Live in the Community

• Author: Bobby Kub
• Posted: 2024-09-02

Following the anniversaries of important disability rights milestones, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has introduced new guidelines to improve housing access for people with disabilities. 

The changes are meant to assist local agencies in using Mainstream Vouchers, a key federal program designed to prevent people with disabilities from living in isolated or institutional settings.

Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman explained that affordable and accessible housing is crucial to meeting the objectives set by the Supreme Court's decision in Olmstead v. L.C.

The decision supports the rights of people with disabilities to live within the community, with new actions to provide more flexibility to meet these housing needs.

Mainstream Vouchers help non-elderly people with disabilities who want to move out of institutions or are at risk of homelessness by providing funding for rent. Under the Biden administration, HUD has added over 20,000 new vouchers, increasing support to individuals through local housing agencies. 

Key HUD official Rich Monocchio noted that the vouchers enhance the accessibility and diversity of communities. These new changes are set to improve the program's effectiveness in assisting more people with disabilities in finding housing that suits their preferences and personal situations.

The guidelines include the following updates:
 

• People looking for housing will now have at least 120 days initially to find a suitable place before they may ask for more time.
• Housing agencies must approve all first-time requests for additional search time.
• There will not be any residency preference for Mainstream Voucher applicants, meaning people won't have to be from the area to qualify.

Housing agencies are encouraged to work closely with independent living centers and other local organizations to help people with disabilities in their housing search.

These changes were prompted by a recent HUD study, which found significant obstacles in the housing search process for non-elderly disabled individuals, such as difficulties in obtaining necessary services and reasonable accommodations.

Since the inception of Mainstream Vouchers in 1997, HUD has allocated over $500 million to assist over 71,000 vouchers.

You can visit HUD's website for further details about the Mainstream Voucher Program.

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