Public Housing

Who Can Benefit from Public Housing

The Public Housing program is for persons who have low incomes, including persons who are elderly, and persons who have disabilities.

What is Public Housing

The Public Housing program is set up to provide decent, safe rental housing in all shapes and sizes, from high-rise apartment buildings to single family homes. To get public housing you will have to live in a building that is operated by the Public Housing Authority (PHA) (in other words, the PHA operates the public housing).

How can a Person Apply for Public Housing

The person must go to the PHA to apply for the Public Housing program. The nicest buildings are often designated for "elderly only" and the PHA can refuse to admit into these buildings a person with a disability who is younger than 62 years old.

Pros and Cons of the Public Housing

Pros of the Public Housing Program

• requires that at least five percent of the rental units must be accessible to people with mobility impairments, and 2 percent to people with vision and hearing impairments;
• often includes some supportive services, for example, a service coordinator;
• other supports can be home ownership opportunities for qualified families, employment training opportunities, other special training and employment programs for people who live in the housing, and support programs for persons who are elderly;
• has a history of providing rental housing to persons with the lowest incomes, which includes many people with disabilities.

Cons of the Public Housing Program

• has some rental housing in poor condition;
• some rental housing is in dangerous or run-down neighborhoods;
• may give the housing that is in the best condition or that is in the best neighborhoods to persons who are elderly;
• has a history of not serving people with disabilities very well, especially those with severe disabilities.

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