Housing Resources for People with Disabilities

A person with a disability who is searching for affordable housing uses the same resources as a person without a disability.

We recognize affordable housing is in short supply and often involves lengthy waiting lists. No single organization can solve the housing shortage. Some organizations may offer advice or support on how you can find housing but it is unlikely they will find housing for you. This section lists useful resources available on affordable housing options.

I am a person with a disability and have a low income, what are my options for housing?

The Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) provides a Housing Search Guide for People with Disabilities in Massachusetts which people on low income:

• identify your needs
• understand the different affordable housing options
• work through the steps to carry out a housing search and
• contact supports if you need help

Housing Consumer Education Centers (HCEC) are regional agencies that provide up-to-date information about affordable housing in Massachusetts. Contacting your local HCEC helps you make sure you know about the programs and resources available that could help with your housing goals. Find your regional Housing Consumer Education Center.

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities' guide to housing assistance summarizes the main housing programs offered by MA state government. 

What are the main options for subsidized housing?

There are both state and federal programs that subsidize housing for people who have low income. In most cases, recipients of housing subsidies pay 30% of their gross income towards rent and the government pays the remainder. Housing subsidies can be project based or tenant based.

A project based subsidy is one that is tied to an apartment or a whole housing development.  A recipient moves in and has subsidized rent as long as they live there. Local housing authorities and privately managed subsidized developments are examples of project based subsidies.  To apply for a project based subsidy you would submit an application to each local housing authority and/or privately managed development in which you are interested. You may search privately subsidized managed developments through Mass Housing finance agency, or on the map provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (the tutorial can be helpful in understanding how to use the map features to search).

A tenant based subsidy or a “housing voucher” allows the recipient to have subsidized rent in the private market.  The subsidy/voucher belongs to the recipient which means that when they end a lease and move they can take the subsidy with them. There are two large centralized lists for the federal Section 8 voucher:

• Section 8 Centralized Waiting List website
• On the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Pre-Application form 

A state issued housing voucher, Alternative Housing Voucher Program, is available to people with disabilities who are eligible for elderly/disabled housing but are not elderly.

I need additional services in my housing

Congregate Housing is a special type of public housing for seniors and people with disabilities where you share a living space (roommates). Some Congregate Housing programs have coordinators who help build community and make sure the living environment is stable. They may help you access community services, manage issues between residents, and plan social events. 

A few public housing units are reserved for people who need full-time, intensive care for behavioral or medical issues. Contact your local Department of Developmental Services (DDS) area office to ask about this kind of housing and care. 

Some public housing also offers supportive services, where a coordinator helps residents access community resources, arrange meals, plan social activities. 

Not all housing will be accessible for me

When searching for housing you should be aware of how any physical or health conditions may impact you in using particular features in your home, with particular focus on the entrance and the bathroom.

The Accessible Housing Registry is a database that allows users to search for accessible features in market rate and subsidized housing including wheelchair accessible units, ground floor/elevator units, and units with roll-in showers.

HousingNavigatorMass (a nonprofit organization) has a search that you can filter  for accessibility features (such as elevators, step-free entrances, roll-in showers, etc.). You can also filter for “rent based on income,” which means your rent will be capped at a portion of your income, usually 30%. 

Note that housing providers have obligations under Fair Housing laws to allow reasonable modifications to your housing to make it accessible for you. They do not have to allow all requests and who pays for the modification depends on the circumstances (see disability rights in housing for more information). So if an apartment basically meets your needs, but would require small modifications like the installation of grab bars, this may be something you can achieve through requesting a reasonable modification.

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission provides a useful listing of resources for funding to perform modifications to make a home more accessible to a person with a disability.

There are programs that financially help people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Your local Housing Consumer Education Center (HCEC) can be a useful source of information on any local programs that may help with deposits or moving costs. Find your HCEC.

Emergency shelter options depend on whether you are an individual or a family.

Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT)  can provide short-term financial assistance to low income families, to help preserve current housing or move to new housing. RAFT can cover utilities, moving costs, and overdue rent or mortgage payments. 

The Housing Court has a Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP), which is a homelessness prevention program for individuals facing an eviction as a result of behavior related to a disability.

All applicants/residents/tenants have certain rights under landlord-tenant law.

An applicant/resident/tenant with a disability does not have more or less rights under these laws because of their disability.

Be aware of your basic tenant rights about habitability, landlord access, rent, deposits and leases.

The Housing section of MassLegalHelp has guidance on tenants’ rights, housing discrimination, eviction, and more. This is written or reviewed by staff from legal aid programs and attorneys. It explains your rights and gives practical suggestions for how to protect yourself.

The Housing Court has a Tenancy Preservation Program (TPP), which is a homelessness prevention program for people facing eviction as a result of behavior related to a disability. 

For questions about state sanitary code, you should contact your city/town’s Board of Health. 

Consumer protection laws cover homeowners who engage with contractors to make home improvements such as accessibility modifications. If you have an issue with a contractor you have hired or worked with, file a complaint with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. 

Most housing is covered by Fair Housing laws. These require landlords and homeowners' associations to not discriminate against people because of a disability. This broadly means two things:

• Housing providers should not treat people with disabilities worse than they treat people without disabilities.
• If a resident is facing an obstacle to equal use of their housing, because of their disability, the housing provider should allow reasonable accommodations/modifications. 

Learn more about disability rights in housing.