A Long, Long, Long List of Places You Can Call to Find Affordable Housing

Art: Robin Mead.

If you think there are no nice, affordable housing opportunities for people with disabilities, it may be that you haven’t made enough phone calls yet.

Some of our readers report that it takes 100-200 phone calls or emails just to find the nice places with open waiting lists. And some people choose to relocate in order to find somewhere that meets their needs.

If you haven’t contacted 200 places yet, don’t give up hope. We have heard from many people who kept persisting and eventually found safe, clean, disability-accessible and affordable apartments.

What To Say?

• Three Magic Questions When Contacting Affordable Buildings
• More Questions You Can Ask
• Script for Calling Affordable Housing Buildings
• Sample Email for Writing Affordable Housing Buildings

Special Tip Before You Start!

If your household includes at least one disabled adult, start by calling all the places that are “senior” or “elderly” and ask if they accept younger people who are disabled. These places are often nicer and easier to get into. Will allow other family members, but many don’t allow kids.

Affordable Housing Online

Here’s where you can Go to Affordable Housing Apartment Lists to search. This page is fantastic, but the search results can be a bit wonky in some areas. You can find zip codes in your surrounding area by checking this zipcode radius tool.

Rural Development

USDA has apartments available for people who are low-income and wish to live in rural areas. Here’s where you can find a map of USDA apartments. Or you can go to this Search by Zipcode page. Tip: If you type in just the first three numbers of your zipcode and you will be shown more opportunities in surrounding areas.

HUD Map

Here’s where you can go to the The HUD map and search your area. It is  comprehensive, but also confusing. Many of our readers have found that it is the most helpful tool once they get used to using it.

Volunteers of America

Volunteers of America offers VOA affordable housing in various locations. We’ve heard from a few readers who reported that the housing there is clean, safe, and well-maintained. If anyone else has experience with VOA housing, please comment below.

ArtSpace

ArtSpace has 30 buildings for artists across the country. These centers offer living spaces and studios for low-income artists. Rents vary by location.

Accessible Apartments

No voucher needed. Subsidized apartments. One person in household must be a physically disabled or be a senior or be a veteran. Look here for Short Waiting Lists.  Type in your state to find All Waiting Lists. 

Section 8 Housing Vouchers

If someone told you the voucher lists, don’t give up quite yet:  Section 8 Guide for the Plucky and Disabled

Section 8 Vouchers Email Alerts

Section 8 Voucher Open Waiting Lists. Wonderful email alert service, but be warned: This list is incomplete. It’s a good site to see a small selection of what is available around the country. It is not a good way to find all the waiting lists where you live now.

Mercy Housing

Mercy housing is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing in more than twenty states.

National Residences

NCR communities offers affordable housing in 27 states. They provide housing to seniors, people with disabilities and/or people who have been homeless. If you see something marked “seniors” be sure to ask if they accept younger people with disabilities. Run by National Church Residences, but open to all religions and backgrounds.

Housing Authorities

Contact all of the Housing Authorities listed below. Make sure to contact each one separately. They may each give you totally different information.

• State housing authority
• City housing authority
• County housing authority
• Housing authority for nearby cities
• Housing authority for nearby counties

Housing Authorities (try again!) 

Don’t give up too easily. For each place listed above, make sure to keep calling until you actually reach someone. Don’t expect anyone to call you back. Call back every month and ask when each list will open.

Housing Authority Websites

For each of the Housing Authorities listed above, also check their website. There will often be a page that lists (some but not all) affordable housing opportunities in the area

Intentional Communities

If you are community minded, there are many groovy, interesting, creative communities out there of every size, shape and flavor – including eco-villages, communes, land trusts, cooperative houses, collective farms, spiritual communities, and many more Intentional Communities.

State Resources

More housing programs in:

• Southern Oregon
• Hawaii
• Ohio
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• More in Minnesota
• Yet More in Minnesota
• New York
• New York City
• Virginia

Property Management Companies

Don’t forget to call everywhere marked “elderly” and tell them you are younger and disabled.

Gene B Glick manages 54 affordable housing communities in the Southeast and Midwest.

Hallkeen manages properties in CT, FL, ME, MD, MA, NH, NY, NC, RI, VT and VA. Many (but not all) are dedicated to people who are seniors or disabled and low income.

Stewart Properties manages more than 100 affordable housing properties in New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts.

Wallick Communities manages subsidized and low income apartments in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Kentucky.

Hodges Companies affordable apartments in NH and one in MA.

Lakes Region – recommended by a reader. New Hampshire.

SK Company – affordable apartments in CT, MA, NH, RI, VT

Wayfinders – properties through Massachusetts

EAH Housing – in California and Hawaii

Share Program

The Share Program has over 100 houses in Los Angeles offering shared rooms. Must have SSI or other income and participate in support groups. No other requirements. No deposits, no background checks, no credit checks, no paperwork and past evictions are OK. Long or short stays. “Single family homes in middle class neighborhoods”.

Nonprofits

Many communities have nonprofit programs that help low-income families buy or rent houses. Dial 2-1-1 on your phone and ask what is available. Also check community based mental health centers, veteran’s agencies, and disability organizations.

Secret Vouchers

Sometimes Community based mental health centers, domestic violence programs and homeless agencies have housing vouchers. These are often unadvertised or secret. Even their own staff members may not know they exist! Ask to speak directly to the person who manages housing opportunities.

Mainstream Vouchers

Check out Mainstream Vouchers. Sometimes the wait list can be short! Your household must have at least one disabled person age 18-61. How to Get a Mainstream Housing Vouchers

Catholic Workers

Catholic Worker communities are committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, prayer, and hospitality for the homeless, exiled, hungry, and forsaken. Some provide housing. You do not need to be Catholic to participate.

Facebook Groups

Facebook groups for people with chronic illness and disabilities looking to find roommates or improve their housing scene: Housing for Spoonies (Facebook Groups)

If you are living in or applying for affordable housing: HUD and Section 8 Disabled Residents & Family Members

Supportive Housing

If you have a mental health diagnosis and history of homelessness, many Supportive Housing programs are great! Try contacting homeless resource programs in your area.  Also, try Googling the name of your state or city and the words “Supportive Housing” or “Supported Housing.” Here is an example of supportive housing in Virginia. Also, ask at your local Community based mental health center,

Persistence

Keep at it! Dandelion made more than 200 phone calls when looking for good housing. She found a great, super cheap, clean, safe, disability-accessible place in just four months. If you haven’t made 100 phone calls yet, don’t give up hope! Dandelion Gets Nice, Affordable Housing QUICKLY

Social Workers

In some cases, a Social Worker or Case Worker may know about more housing opportunities, or may be able to help you get on waiting lists. You should still look on your own as well! There may be many more opportunities that your Social Worker does not know about: How to Get a Social Worker

Local Agencies

• Independent Resource Centers
• Housing Counseling Agencies
• Community Action Agencies
• Area Aging Agencies (even if you are young)
• Veterans Administration & Veterans Groups

Homeless or At Risk

If you are at-risk for homelessness, contact homeless resource centers. Try both state and local agencies.

You do not have to be living on the streets to be considered homeless. Many programs will consider that you meet the definition if you do not have a fixed living space, or you are sleeping somewhere not normally used for sleeping.

Also: whenever you speak to any program on this list, be sure to tell them you are homeless or in danger of homelessness and ask if they have. priority for homelessness or know any programs that do. Be sure to ask if any of them know of programs for housing vouchers for the homeless.

Nursing Homes 

If you are unable to care for yourself, Medicaid covers nursing homes in all states. You may be eligible even if you have too much money for Medicaid. Some private nursing homes set aside a certain number of “Medicaid beds” and these may be nicer then standard Medicaid nursing homes.

Assisted Living

In some states, Medicaid will pay for assisted living, which may be a small apartment along with meals and other services onsite. Learn more about states where Medicaid pays for assisted living. 

In some states Medicaid will pay for Adult Care Homes – These may be small private homes where 2-5 people live and food and care is provided for people with disabilities. See link above for more info. Here is an example of Adult Family Care Homes in Florida.

More options are listed on this page: Three Ways to Get Home Aides in HUD Housing

Avoiding Nursing Homes

If you would like to avoid a nursing home there are many programs that may be able to assist you with staying in your home: How to Get Home Services to Avoid a Nursing Home.

If you are already in a nursing home, some state home aide programs have special funds available to help you with costs to transition back to the community.

Foster Care

Many states have programs available for housing for young adults transitioning out of foster care.

Developmental Disabilities / Intellectual Disabilities

Please look into Medicaid waiver programs in your state. The waiting lists are long (often 10+ years), but they can provide housing plus many other support services that can give you support and independence for many years to come. This page for kids waivers also includes many programs open to adults: Waiver programs.

Short Term

Peer run respite centers can provide shelter and mental health support for short periods. Usually a week or two. These programs are run by people who have experienced mental health crisis themselves.

Learn More

🌸 Facebook Group: HUD and Section 8 Disabled Residents & Family Members

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