Since the 1999 Olmstead U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming the right of people with disabilities to live in integrated housing settings according to their needs, there has been an expansion of community-based housing assistance and services and support options for people with disabilities. HUD provides assistance specifically for non-elderly persons with disabilities through its Section 811 project-based rental assistance and Mainstream and Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) voucher programs. Previous research has documented persistent structural barriers to providing housing for persons with disabilities, but less is known about the challenges that emerge in the process of applying for housing assistance and locating and obtaining a unit that meets individual needs.

HUD contracted a study to identify barriers that people with disabilities face accessing and using housing assistance—including navigating program eligibility requirements, searching for housing, and coordinating services and supports up to the point of moving into an assisted unit—and successful strategies to address those challenges. The study included a literature review, interviews with a small number of key stakeholders, and nine case studies of programs that serve people with disabilities and connect them to housing assistance programs. The results of the study are documented in the subject report and a brief that addresses Participant Experiences with Housing Search Assistance and Implications for Service Providers that Serve People with Disabilities.

Click here to see an Informational Brief on Participant Experiences with Housing Search Assistance and Implications for Service Providers that Serve People with Disabilities.