The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a funding allocation of $212 million to expand affordable housing for low-income individuals with disabilities. The funding is aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing and supportive services for very-low and extremely-low-income persons with disabilities.
According to a press release from HUD, the funding will be divided between two programs under Section 811. The first program, called the Capital Advance/Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC), will receive $106 million for the development or rehabilitation of supportive housing. This program will also include rental subsidies to keep the housing affordable for qualified tenants. The second program, the Project Rental Assistance (PRA), will allocate an equal sum of $106 million to assist state agencies in offering rental support that bridges the gap between what tenants can contribute and the HUD-approved rental costs.
HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge emphasized the importance of this funding, stating, "Every American should have the ability to live in affordable housing that caters to their needs. Unfortunately, today, far too many housing options are inaccessible to those with disabilities—and those with the appropriate accommodations are often too expensive."
The funding announcement comes as part of HUD's efforts to provide people with disabilities the opportunity to live with dignity and independently within an integrated community. Ethan Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing Programs, stated, "This funding will provide people with disabilities the opportunity to live with dignity and independently within an integrated community."
Applications for the funding are open and must be submitted by February 8, 2024. The funding is specifically targeted at individuals earning 50 percent or less of the area median income, aged between 18 and 62. The goal is to subsidize rental housing that provides necessary supportive services, making affordable and accessible housing more widely available to Americans with disabilities.
This funding allocation is a significant step towards addressing the lack of accessible and affordable housing options for individuals with disabilities. By expanding the supply of affordable housing and supportive services, HUD aims to create more opportunities for low-income individuals with disabilities to live independently and with dignity.
