September 22, 2017 | by Michael Wilt
Categories: Construction, Fair Housing, Home Rehabilitation/Repairs, Texas Foundations Fund
By 2035, the number of households that include someone with a disability will increase by 76% according to a report from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Subsequently, the demand for affordable, accessible housing will be far beyond what current supply can meet. The increased population with a disability is largely due to the booming senior population which is expected to grow from 48 million to 79 million over the next 20 years.
As people age, mobility becomes a bigger challenge. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that about 16% of Americans ages 65 to 74 face a mobility impairment, and that number doubles among people ages 75 and older.
This aging population will require housing that is accessible for individuals with disabilities, and that type of housing is in short supply. A recent How Housing Matters piece states that less than one fifth of one percent of housing units nationwide are wheelchair accessible. In 1991, the federal government implemented regulations requiring accessibility features in new construction, but much of the housing stock was built before the regulations took effect or is exempt.
This means many households must make accessibility modifications on their own. The Fair Housing Act allows renters to make modifications that reasonably accommodate a disability, but they have to pay for them and then restore the unit to its original condition when they move.
Homeowners can make any modifications they choose, but the costs quickly add up. The cost burden forces many households, especially those on fixed incomes, to forego modifications and live in housing that doesn't meet their needs.
TSAHC and Accessibility
Through the Texas Foundations Fund, TSAHC provides grants to nonprofits to provide home repairs and accessibility modifications in homes owned by very low-income Texans. We invite you to read more about the nonprofits we've supported and their work in communities across Texas.
TSAHC also requires compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act Accessibility Standards and Title II / Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 for any development supported by our developer financing programs. This includes all developments financed through our Texas Housing Impact Fund, our Multifamily Tax-Exempt Housing Bonds program, or developments acquired and redeveloped as part of our Affordable Communities of Texas program.
On the House blog posts are meant to provide general information on various housing-related issues, research and programs. We are not liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the information provided by blog sources. Furthermore, this blog is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.
TSAHC reviews all blog comments before they are posted to ensure a positive experience for our online community. Off-topic comments; hostile, derogatory or deliberately insulting comments; and comments specifically promoting goods and services will not be posted.
Approved comments will be published in their entirety. Personal information will not be removed unless it pertains to someone other than the person submitting the comment. For more information, please see our Comment Posting Guidelines.
To remove a previously submitted and published comment, please contact Anna Orendain at [email protected].
If you have a question regarding any of TSAHC's programs, please contact us.
