News
HUD issues notice on assistance animals and reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), April 30, 2013
Fair Housing Month Update: HUD Takes On Discrimination Against People with Disabilities in Mortgage Lending, By Guest Blogger Bryan Greene, General Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, April 15, 2013
HUD Kicks Off Fair Housing Month with Launch of National Media Campaign, From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), April 03, 2013
Landlord must pay $200K after alleged discrimination, By KOAT-TV - Albuquerque, March 29, 2013
Increased Availability of Accessible Housing is a Must, By Guest Blogger Mariah Kilbourne, Ms. Wheelchair America 2013, Disability Blog, March 18, 2013
HUD launches first Fair Housing app, From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), February 28, 2013
HUD and HHS partner to provide permanent housing and services to low-income people with disabilities, From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), February 12, 2013
Justice Department Obtains Landmark $10.5 Million Settlement to Resolve Disability-Based Housing Discrimination Lawsuit, From the U.S. Department of Justice, June 25, 2012
What's the Status of Your Vouchers for Non-Elderly Disabled Persons?, Information Bulletin #361 from Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information, June 25, 2012
Increasing Accessible Housing in Your Community Above the 5 Percent Minimum, Information Bulletin #359 from Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information, June 01, 2012
HUD Issues Notice of Funding for Extremely Low-Income Non-Elderly People With Disabilities, Information Bulletin #358 from Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information, May 17, 2012
HUD makes available $85 million to fund housing for extremely low-income persons with disabilities, From the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), May 15, 2012
Most Housing Complaints Disability Related, By Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop, May 08, 2012
Consumer Action releases housing discrimination survey, From Consumer Action, May 03, 2012
Mortgage Foreclosures and People with Disabilities, Information Bulletin #356 from Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information, April 27, 2012
HUD Secretary Donovan visits ADAPT to affirm commmittment to affordable, accessible, integrated housing, From ADAPT, April 22, 2012
Affordable, Accessible Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Apartments in Pennsylvania, Information Bulletin #355 from Steve Gold,s Treasured Nuggets of Information, April 19, 2012
Campaign Urges Greater Housing Accessibility, By Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop, April 18, 2012
811 Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Adults with Disabilities, MFP and Medicaid, Information Bulletin #350 from Steve Gold,s Treasured Nuggets of Information, February 10, 2012
Advocacy Organizations and Informational Resources
The ABLEDATA Accessible Housing Resource Center links you to dozens of different websites with housing information of interest to people with disabilities.
The Center for Universal Design is a national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes accessible and universal design in housing, buildings, outdoor and urban environments and related products. The Center's work manifests the belief that all new environments and products, to the greatest extent possible, should be usable by everyone regardless of their age, ability, or circumstance. Part of the College of Design at North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, the Center promotes the concept of universal design in all design, construction, and manufacturing disciplines through research, design assistance, and training.
Concrete Change - The definitive source for information on "visitable" design. In fact, Concrete Change coined the term "Visitablity" which basically means that a home is designed so that a person with a mobility impairment can get in and out of the house and use the bathroom. Everything you ever wanted to know about Visitablity can be found here.
Disability.gov is the federal government's one-stop Web site for information of interest to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and many others. The Housing Section provides information on housing laws, design and technical advice for people with disabilities, their family members, public housing organizations and the nation's builders.
The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) administers and enforces federal laws and establishes policies that make sure all Americans have equal access to the housing of their choice. They may be able to help you with housing discrimination problems.
Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. provides Tenant and Landlord, Homeownership, and Credit Counseling Services. One-on-one counseling is available by phone, in-person, or online from HCCI offices in Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan and Emporia.
Housing Discrimination Complaint App - This app designed for both iPhone and iPad by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows you submit a claim of housing discrimination for review by Housing and Urban Development's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. You can use this App to file a claim of housing discrimination with HUD. The app also provides information about the fair housing complaint process, and allows the public to access HUD’s toll-free discrimination hotline and link to HUD’s fair housing website: www.hud.gov/fairhousing
The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation mission is to enhance Kansas communities with housing opportunities. This goal is achieved through using a variety of strategies and approaches, including increasing homeownership opportunities, leveraging the construction of more affordable rental housing, preserving existing housing through rehabilitation, promoting energy efficiency improvements for owner-occupied and rental housing, providing affordable housing through rent assistance to low-income families and senior citizens, and creating housing opportunities for previously underserved persons and communities.
KSHousingSearch.org is a housing locator service, sponsored by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, which provides detailed information on affordable rental housing available throughout Kansas and allows people to locate housing that best fits their individual needs. The site can be accessed online 24 hours a day and is supported by a toll-free, bilingual call center at 1-877-428-8844, M-F, 9-8 EST.
HUD's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Database provideds selective access to data on HUD's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program. Through this program investors receive a credit against their federal taxes in exchange for providing funds to build or renovate housing at rents within reach of low-income people. You can use the Database to locate properties that participate in the LIHTC Program in your community.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to ending America’s affordable housing crisis. We believe that this is achievable, that the affordable housing crisis is a problem that Americans are capable of solving. While we are concerned about the housing circumstances of all low income people, we focus our advocacy on those with the most serious housing problems, the lowest income households.
Steve Gold's Nuggets is a website and listserve maintained by renowned disability rights attorney Steve Gold. It contains timely, useful information on topics of importance to people with disabilities, such as, housing, Medicaid, nursing homes and education.
Topeka Housing Authority operates the public housing, Section 8 and other programs to assist low-income households in Topeka.
Publications
ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, INTEGRATED HOUSING - A housing plan to free people with disabilities from unwanted institutional placement developed by the ADAPT Community
Fair Housing Act Design Manual, US Department of Housing and Urban Development - This manual provides comprehensive information about accessibility requirements which must be incorporated into the design and construction of mutifamily housing covered by the Fair Housing Act. It is intended to provide clear and helpful guidance about ways to design and construct housing that complies with the accessiblity requirements of the Act.
Fair Housing Fact Sheets and Information - The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has created this series of factsheets to educate consumers with psychological disabilities on their fair housing rights and to empower them as self advocates. However, the information is applicable to all individuals with disabilities seeking information on their fair housing rights.
HUD Notice on Service Animals and Assistance Animals for People with Disabilities in Housing and HUD-Funded Programs, April 25, 2013 - This notice explains certain obligations of housing providers covered by the FHAct, Section 504, and/or the ADA with respect to animals that provide assistance to individuals with disabilities.
Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability, Research Report, Jordana L. Maisel, IDEA Center; Eleanor Smith, Concrete Change; Edward Steinfeld, IDEA Center ; August 2008 - (report)(in brief) Visitability initiatives that support aging independently in one's home and community are the subject of this AARP Public Policy Institute Research Report. The authors discuss the barriers to visitability implementation and opportunities for further acceptance of these design parameters in the construction of new homes. Visitability is a movement that seeks to increase the supply of accessible housing through the inclusion of three basic structural features at the time of home construction: a zero-step entrance, wide doorways, and at least a half bath on the main floor of the home. (109 pages), Pub ID: 2008-14
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2011 Advocates’ Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy is intended to provide advocates, policymakers, students, and others with information on the most relevant housing and housing-related programs and issues at the federal level, as well as information related to the community planning process. Each article provides basic information on a specific program or issue, and its current status. Where appropriate, advocates are provided talking points to assist in weighing in on particular topics. The appendices serve as a guide to the federal lawmaking and regulatory process and provide the kind of introductory information that can help anyone become an effective housing advocate.
A Practical Guide to Universal Home Design, This booklet by the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology,
a program of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Center for Disabilities and Development,
Iowa’s University Center for Excellence on Disabilities is a room by room checklist you can use to help you consider your
options when incorporating the principles of universal design to increase the ease and flexibility of your home.
Priced Out is a series of housing publications created as a joint effort by the Technical Assistance Collaborative, Inc. (TAC) and the Washington DC-based Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force. Priced Out is published every two years to bring attention to our nation's most compelling, and least understood, housing affordability crisis. Each edition of Priced Out helps measure the gap between HUD's Fair Market Rents and the incomes of individuals and families who rely on monthly SSI benefits. The goal of these biennial reports is to shed light on the housing crisis being faced by people with significant and long-term disabilities.
Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act, Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice, May 17, 2004 - This Statement provides technical assistance regarding the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities and housing providers under the Fair Housing Act relating to reasonable accommodations.
Reasonable Modifications Under the Fair Housing Act, Joint Statement of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice, March 05, 2008 - detailed information, in a question-and-answer format, on the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities and housing providers under the Fair Housing Act relating to reasonable modifications.
Section 504 FAQ - These questions and answers focus on the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibit disability discrimination in programs receiving HUD funds or financial assistance.
The State of Fair Housing - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FY 2008 Annual Report on Fair Housing - According to this report a record 10,552 fair housing discrimination complaints were filed in fiscal year 2008. The report, which is produced for Congress each year, shows that the majority of the complaints, 44 percent, were filed by persons with disabilities.
The State of Housing in America in the 21st Century: A Disability Perspective, National Council on Disability (NCD), January 19, 2010 - This report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of housing for people with disabilities in the United States. It answers important questions about the current housing needs and options for people with disabilities and offers recommendations to improve housing opportunities.
2009 Worst Case Housing Needs of People with Disabilities - This U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) report summarizes efforts to measure the extent of "worst case housing needs" among very low-income renter households with disabilities. The report finds that approximately 1 million households that included nonelderly people with disabilities had worst case needs. Renter households that include nonelderly people with disabilities are more likely than those that don’t include people with disabilities to have very low incomes, experience worst case needs, pay more than one-half of their income for rents, and have other housing problems, such as living in inadequate or overcrowded housing.