Emily CooperTechnical Assistance Collaborative,

Inc.

Key Features of HUD’s Low Income Programs

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Findings from Priced Out in 2010

Approximately 4.5 adults in U.S. with disabilities receive SSI equal to an average of $703/month

People with disabilities receiving SSI are among the lowest income – 18.7% of the national one-person household median income in 2010

SSI income equal to an hourly wage of $4.09

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Income of People with Disabilities on SSI

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Median Income

50% of Median Income

18.7% of Median Income

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Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities

On average, in 2010, people with receiving SSI had to pay 112% of their monthly income to rent a one-bedroom unitThe federal standard for affordability is

30% of income for housing costs

In 2010 there was not one single housing market in the US where a person with a disability receiving SSI could afford to rent a modest housing unit4

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Housing Affordability for People with Disabilities

IF affordability is defined as paying no more than 30-40 percent of income towards housing costs

THEN SSI recipients should pay no more than $210- $280 towards housing costs (including all utilities)

SSI recipients need subsidized housing

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Two Subsidized Housing Approaches Project based

Specific building/unit is subsidizedPerson must live in the building/unit in order

to get assistance with rentExample: federal public housing

Tenant basedSubsidy is tied to the personSubsidy is portable and can move with the

person (within program limits) Example: Housing Choice Vouchers

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“Affordable” HousingHigh quality buildings – often new or

renovated

Usually contain handicapped accessible units

“Affordable” – but may not be affordable to people with incomes at 30% of the area median or belowOperating or project-based subsidy needed to

ensure rent is affordable to extremely low income people"

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Common Federal Resources to Create Subsidized Housing

HOME Investment Partnerships ProgramCommunity Development Block GrantLow Income Housing Tax Credits

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HOMEDistributed to States and Localities (known as

Participating Jurisdictions) through a block grant formula allocation

Can be used for:Rental Housing ProductionRental Housing RehabilitationFirst-time Homebuyers assistanceRehabilitation loans for homeownersTenant-based rental assistance

Example: HOME funds to create rental housing for persons with incomes at 50% of the area median

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Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)Distributed to States and Localities (known as

Entitlement Communities) through a block grant formula allocation

Can be used for:Housing RehabilitationNew housing construction by non-profitsAcquisition land and buildingsPublic facilities (e.g. shelters)Code enforcementCreating AccessibilityPublic Services (capped at 15%)

Example: Grant pool to fund accessibility modifications to rental housing for people with disabilities

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Consolidated PlanFive year “master plan” for administering

CDBG, HOME, and other key resources

Developed by state and local community development officials

Strong requirements for citizen participation and consultation with service providers as well as plans for affirmatively furthering fair housing

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Low Income Housing Tax Credits At the federal level, administered by the IRS within the

Department of Treasury

Credits allocated to each state and administered by state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) HFAs must complete a Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) that

guides the program

State awards credits to housing projects proposed by developers who must agree to meet “affordability” requirements for a 15-year compliance period

Primary goals of the LIHTC program is to create “mixed-income” housing a minimum number of units affordable to households with

incomes of 50%- 60% of median income and below are required in each LIHTC project

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Common Tenant-Based ResourcesHOME tenant-based rental assistance

Administered by state and local governmentsCan be used for special populations

People who are homelessPeople transitioning from nursing homes/institutions

to the community

Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs)Formerly known as Section 8

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Housing Choice Voucher ProgramLaure RawsonDirector Housing Voucher Management and Operations Division

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Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program: Now and the Near Future

Fred Karnas and Aretha Williams