The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it is offering $85 million to state housing agencies to provide supportive housing for low-income people with disabilities. HUD expects that more than 2,800 disabled people will benefit from the funding.
HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services are aligning housing and health care services at the state level through the Notice for Funding for the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance to ensure that disabled persons get quality, cost-effective services, according to a press release. Under the new eligibility requirements, only state or local housing agencies that are currently administering affordable housing programs are eligible for these funds.
In addition, these entities must have established a formal partnership with a state health and human services agency and Medicaid agency to provide for referrals, tenant selection and perform other casework activities to ensure that individuals with the most critical need receive this supportive housing assistance. The funding must be used for rental assistance only and not for construction or rehabilitation.
“HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services are seizing the opportunity to support innovative state-level strategies to transform and increase the availability of affordable housing, matched with needed services and supports, that will help keep people with disabilities out of institutions and integrated into the community,” Shaun Donovan, secretary of HUD, stated in the release.
The deadline for eligible agencies to apply for funding is July 31.
