This Disability Pride Month, Down Payment Resource has highlighted homebuyer assistance programs designed for people with disabilities.
People with disabilities may be eligible for any homebuyer assistance program, but there are some resources geared toward this group in particular. While they vary in purpose and scope, they all serve to support the dream of homeownership for people with disabilities.
“Homeownership provides individuals with disabilities and their caregivers with greater independence and empowerment. It allows them to have control over their living environment, make decisions regarding accessibility modifications and customize their homes to meet their unique needs,” said Down Payment Resource founder and CEO Rob Chrane.
“My hope is that this report will raise awareness about the available programs that provide vital support to those who need it most.”
DPR sourced information from its database for programs with incentives for people with disabilities. It identified 23 programs that can expressly serve the disabled community in the United States.
They offer financial assistance between $10,000 and $109,986, available through 11 state programs and one national program.
Eleven also offer assistance to family caregivers, and four can be used to finance accessibility modifications. Nearly half can be combined with other homebuyer assistance programs as well.
Homeownership feels out of reach for many right now as high prices, elevated interest rates, and the never-ending housing shortage exacerbate the affordability crisis. But all of this is compounded for disabled Americans.
Households with at least one disabled member earn on average 60% less than those with no disabled members. One in five Americans with a disability is classified as having “extremely low” income.
On top of that, only 6% of housing units in the US are accessible to those with mobility-related disabilities. It is estimated that 80% of those homes are occupied by individuals without disabilities.
As a result, people with disabilities are competing for extremely limited housing with those with more options and more disposable income.
Kathleen Romig, director of Social Security and disability policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told Insider that homes near public transportation in cities are often great options for the disabled. But they’re also some of the most expensive places to live.
“When we think about accessible housing, we often think about stuff like wheelchair access, but that’s really not the beginning and end of it,” she said.
DPR outlined a few specific programs on its website, and individuals can check their eligibility for all of them here.
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