Find housing

Owning a home is an important step towards gaining personal independence. The Housing & Mortgages for People with Disabilities Guide offers information on the process of buying a house and financial assistance programs. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers several type of vouchers for people with disabilities to help with housing costs. The HUD Web site also includes information and links to organizations that help provide funding for housing.

The Housing Choice Vouchers Fact Sheet offers information on vouchers, how they work and potential eligibility.

Contact your State Housing Finance Authority for help at the local level, including information on how to find housing assistance in your area and the types of programs that are available. Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs help find funding for single-family and multiple-family programs.

HUD also provides resources to help people with special needs in their search for housing. These programs include:

• The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program, which provides state and local level information.
• The Public Housing Program, which provides housing for eligible low-income families, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
• The Congregate (Multifamily) Housing Program, which is project-based rather than tenant-based.
• The Housing Counseling Program, which provides counseling to consumers seeking, financing, maintaining and renting or owning a home.

Buying a home is a big decision, and you may have many questions about the process. To help you understand the basics of purchasing a home, HUD's Buying a Home guide offers general information and tips. Topics addressed in this guide include getting a mortgage, making a budget, obtaining a loan, knowing your rights and making an offer on a home. It also includes information on rural housing assistance and housing programs for veterans.

In addition, a HUD-approved housing counselor can talk to you about your situation and help you decide which mortgage options might work for you.

The GovBenefits Web site is a good place to start for information on benefits, loans and financing buying a home. Simply enter the word "housing" into the search bar.

For additional resources in your state, visit the the Fair Housing Act Homeownership Centers Web site or check with your State Housing Finance Authority.

Often a home can be made accessible by altering the current residence. The Home Modifications Web site offers information on ways to make your home accessible, and includes a resource library, videos and information on various home modification and accessibility products.

As a builder or developer, it is important to be aware of accessibility requirements. Information about accessibility requirements for multifamily housing, federally-assisted housing and other programs can be found on HUD's Web site.

A helpful resource for developers and people with disabilities is the Center for Universal Design. This organization provides a national information, technical assistance and a research center that evaluates, develops and promotes accessible and universal design.

The Homelessness Resource Center is a helpful resource for people who are homeless, or professionals working with the homeless. The site provides information on many topics including housing, facts and statistics about homelessness and ways to address this issue.

You can find information on assistance for people who are homeless in your state on HUD's Local Homelessness Assistance Web site.

For further assistance, the Shelter Plus Care Program provides rental assistance for hard-to-serve homeless persons with disabilities.

The Homelessness Resource Exchange provides information on housing projects, housing operations and access to mainstream housing. The site also contains information on the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, which provides funding for the homeless through the Recovery Act.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has also created a checklist as a guide to help communities prevent and end homelessness.