HUD Awards $99 Million to Provide Affordable Housing to People with Disabilities

On September 4, 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded nearly $99 million to provide affordable housing to people with disabilities. The awards will result in new vouchers to provide permanent housing to an additional 12,000 low-income residents, including 550 in Massachusetts.

The housing assistance announced Tuesday is provided through HUD’s Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program which provides funding to housing agencies to assist non-elderly persons with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional or other separated settings; at risk of institutionalization; homeless; or at risk of being homeless.

The two most significant awards were granted to Boston and Cambridge. Boston Housing Authority will receive $1.4 million and Cambridge Housing Authority will receive $1.1 million, resulting in 99 and 89 vouchers respectively.  The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development received $819,620 for 89 vouchers. Other local housing authorities receiving awards included: Taunton, Somerville, Springfield, Falmouth, Plymouth, Chelmsford, and Sandwich. Community Teamwork, Inc. in Lowell, and The Bridge of Central Massachusetts in Worcester, also received awards.

These awards come on the heels of a $1.8 billion state housing bond bill passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor this legislative session. The bond bill included over $120 million in capital authorization for community based and supportive housing.

Follow this link to see a full list of awardees: https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PA/documents/2018MainstreamVoucherChart.pdf