Rental assistance for people with disabilities — where to start and what programs can help.
Living on SSI or SSDI and trying to keep up with rent is genuinely hard. Those payments were not designed to cover the full cost of housing in most parts of the country, and for someone who became disabled and lost their previous income, the difference between what they receive and what housing costs can be significant. The rent payment assistance programs on this page exist specifically to help close that gap — they do not expect you to solve a housing problem on your own with a fixed income that was never meant to go that far.
This is a guide to the main federal rental assistance programs available to people with disabilities, how to apply through your local housing authority, and what to do if you need help in a crisis. For information on subsidized and supportive housing — buildings and communities specifically designed for people with disabilities, often with on-site services — see NHPB's page on subsidized and supportive housing for disabled people. For help buying a home on disability income, see the disability mortgage assistance page.
- BE AWARE OF FRAUD: People with disabilities, particularly those in institutional settings or actively trying to transition to community housing, are sometimes targeted by fraudulent "placement services" that charge fees to connect them with supportive housing or disability-friendly apartments. Legitimate referrals into Section 811 and supported housing programs come through state agencies, Medicaid case managers, and public housing authorities at no cost. Never pay a third party to access these programs, and be cautious of any organization that contacts you unsolicited offering to find housing for a fee.
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers — the most widely available option
The Housing Choice Voucher program, commonly called Section 8, is the federal government's main long-term rental assistance program for people with low incomes — including those with disabilities on SSI or SSDI. It is available in every state, county, and city. Disability is not required to apply, but having a disability is often a priority factor that can move an application up the waiting list or qualify a household for emergency placement.
How it works: your local Public Housing Authority, or PHA, issues you a voucher. You find a private landlord willing to accept it — an apartment, house, or townhome of your choosing, as long as it meets HUD's basic health and safety standards. The PHA pays the landlord the difference between what you can afford (generally 30 percent of your adjusted monthly income) and the cost of the unit. You pay the rest directly to the landlord.
People with disabilities are eligible to apply, and people with certain serious disabilities may qualify for emergency or no-wait-list placement depending on the policies of the local PHA. Waiting lists can be long — sometimes years — which is why applying at more than one PHA if possible is worth doing. To find your local PHA and check whether its waiting list is currently open, HUD's PHA locator is at https://www.hud.gov/contactus/public-housing-contacts. Additional detail on the Section 8 program is at NHPB's section 8 housing page.
Section 811 — housing designed specifically for adults with disabilities
Section 811 is a federal program run through HUD that funds rental housing specifically for very low-income adults with disabilities. Unlike Section 8, which helps you pay for housing in the private market, Section 811 creates actual units — apartments in regular residential buildings that are set aside for people with disabilities, often with access to supportive services.
The program has two parts. The older Capital Advance program funded the construction of Section 811 buildings. The newer Project Rental Assistance program, which has been active since 2012, works differently: it partners with state housing finance agencies to set aside a portion of units in affordable housing developments for people with disabilities, with rental assistance attached. No more than 25 percent of units in any building can be Section 811 units, which is intentional — the goal is integration into regular community housing rather than segregated disability-only buildings.
To qualify, a household must include at least one adult with a disability who is between 18 and 61 years old at the time of admission, and the household's income must be extremely low — generally at or below 30 percent of the area median income, which in most places is below what SSI pays. Eligible applicants are also typically connected to Medicaid or state-funded community-based services.
You do not apply directly to HUD for Section 811. Referrals come through state housing agencies and, in many cases, through state Medicaid and human services departments. The best starting point is your state's housing finance agency or your Medicaid case manager if you have one. To find your state housing agency.
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance — a bridge when other programs run out
Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, or TBRA, is a flexible form of help offered by some states and local governments through HUD's HOME program. Like a Section 8 voucher, it pays the difference between what a household can afford and what the market rent is — but it is administered locally and the eligibility rules, funding levels, and application processes vary by location. Households with a disabled member are often given priority.
- NOTE: TBRA is not available everywhere, and where it is offered, funding is usually limited. To find out whether your state or county offers it and whether applications are currently being accepted, contact your local PHA or your community action agency. The NHPB page on Tenant-Based Rental Assistance has additional detail.
HOPWA — housing assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS
The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program, HOPWA, provides rental assistance and other housing support specifically for people living with HIV or AIDS and their families. It can cover short-term emergency rental help, transitional housing, and longer-term rental subsidies. HOPWA is administered through local government agencies and nonprofits. To find a HOPWA provider in your area, contact your local health department or call 211 as the federal HUD pages are not as useful.
Emergency rental help when you can't wait
If you are facing an immediate eviction, a shutoff, or a situation where you need help in days rather than months, the programs above may not move fast enough. Emergency rental assistance for people with disabilities is available in most areas through a combination of local nonprofits, community action agencies, and faith-based charities. People with disabilities are often given priority for emergency funds specifically because of the barriers they face in finding alternative housing quickly.
NHPB's emergency rent assistance page lists programs that can provide help on short notice. Calling 211 connects you to a local specialist who can tell you which programs in your area are currently funded and accepting applications.
Community Resources
We have a community forum as well that may help you find resources. As anyone with a disability knows, it can be hard to keep up with the cost of housing (rent, utility bills, etc) on a limited income and sometimes it is best to get tips and advice from other disabled people too. Find examples, suggestions and more on our moderated forum about rent payment assistance programs for disabled people and read what others are saying from across the US.
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