housing

[xrayeyes]

I currently looking for a new apartment but I am running into huge issues, I am only 46, don't qualify for section 8 and everything I am finding that is disabled accessiable is in places that are 55 plus or they are only for people on section 8. I use a walker currently but seems MS is progressing. Does anyone know somewhere I can contact to find information for those is us who aren't over 55 and don't qualify for section 8 housing? Any suggestions would be appreciated, NMSS only has info on section 8. Thanks!

[KitOP]

In our town HUD just built a new apt building for the disabled. 18 is the minimum age.

You may want to look into one of their facilities. My town is not large either, only about 25,000, so not a booming metropolis.

Good luck.

[pennstater]

Even if 55plus, you can still live there, at least in Pennsylvania. They can't discriminate based on age. Not sure if federal or state law.

[palmtree]

HUD is your best resource but it's a time consuming process. They have listings of subsidized housing that are for 62 years old and older, disabled or family. Even if you are alone you can apply for the family units.

The problem is the long waiting lists.
In my area they run about 13 years and many of them have closed their waiting list. When I was making the calls I found the first question I had to ask was, "is your waiting list open?"

Finally, I found a place in Santa Barbara, CA that is for seniors and the waiting list is going down so it may only be a couple of years.

It's like finding a needle in a haystack. Calling every place in the US would be a little impossible. I'd recommend narrowing it down to places where you would like to live and contacting the disabled or family complexes. I'd actually recommend the family housing. It would be a happier environment and they all have disabled apartments. Many of the disabled apartments are designated for a special type of disability. One was only for psychological disabilities. One I found looked perfect. It had a washer and dryer in the apartment, was right on the beach and had a deck to sit out and watch the sun go down. There was only one catch: you had to have AIDS. I'm glad someone has created a place for those who are suffering that terrible disease. I just wish there was one like that for this MS thing.

Another thing, the apartments are rated by the Section 8 authority. It's a chance to evaluate them so you don't end up in a bad place. My cousin, who was very close to his mother who had a very severe case of MS, is starting an intentional community in the woods in Northern California for people with MS. The only problem is it's not built yet. If he could accomplish this, with help of his church, that would be an amazing legacy.

[Bob698]

In some cases, "55+" is code for "No kids, no partys".
Call the places you're interested in and tell them your situation and what you're looking for in terms of a rental (ie, quiet location and accessible bathroom, etc.). If you're disabled it shouldn't be a big problem.

[agate]

I've been in HUD rental housing for many years and am pretty sure that you have to be in the Section 8 category to be eligible for it.

Being poor enough to qualify for some benefits has real advantages sometimes. The housing is usually more than just acceptable. I've had far better housing with HUD than I could have afforded otherwise.

The apartments tend to be small--500 square feet is typical--but some of the buildings are new enough so that they're still in good shape.

As palmtree mentioned, there are often long waiting lists. When I tried to move from HUD housing in one state to similar housing in another state, I waited a couple of years but eventually I did find an apartment.

One problem is that in recent years HUD apartment buildings have been restricting tenants to those over 62, and so younger persons with MS would be excluded, but I don't think all of the buildings have this rule.

When you say you're not qualified for Section 8, you do know that there are Section 8 vouchers (which are usually very hard to get), on the one hand, and there is "project-based Section 8 rental housing" on the other hand? You can apply for a project-based Section 8 HUD building and might still be eligible for it even if you couldn't get a voucher.

It would depend on your income and assets and out-of-pocket medical expenses.

[thelegendlc]

Independent Living Resource Center

I would also recommend that you contact your local Independent Living Center. It is a government funded (Federal/State) thats helps individuals maintain their independent living. There is no income level or fee charged for their services. They should have a staff member that can definitely assist you in finding housing. In different parts of the country the title of the organization is slightly different. Here in Fargo, ND the center has the title of freedom resource for independent living for example.

[Windwalker]

This is such a big issue for people like us...under 55, income way too high for Section 8 housing...which all disabled housing seems to be classified. I have wrestled with this issue for years, the options seem to be;

Rent your own place, make it accessible, hire needed care giving.

Assisted living...if your independent enough. These places can be very nice but they do not provide around the clock staff to get you in/out bed, on/off toilet and the other various things you will need assistance with. You will be living with 70+ year old people for the most part.

24/7 Care Facility. Most likely would have to put yourself on Medicaid...lose financial independence. I'm sure there are some decent places but this is just a scary thought.

Are there any other options?

[Jola]

I currently looking for a new apartment but I am running into huge issues, I am only 46, don't qualify for section 8 and everything I am finding that is disabled accessiable is in places that are 55 plus or they are only for people on section 8. I use a walker currently but seems MS is progressing. Does anyone know somewhere I can contact to find information for those is us who aren't over 55 and don't qualify for section 8 housing? Any suggestions would be appreciated, NMSS only has info on section 8. Thanks!

I haven't been here for a short while, but this post caught my eye. I don't know where you live, but maybe the link below can help.

http://www.mymsaa.org/msaa-help/barrier/

[palmtree]

Section 8 no longer has funding. It doesn't accept new applicants and those who are already in Section 8 housing are being phased out if it.

[poppydarling]

Intentional communities

palmtree, after our discussion on a previous thread about intentional communities, I contacted the moderators to see if we could get a special section for discussion about alternative housing. They didn't approve that, but said it was fine to start a thread about alternatives that we find as we are researching or surfing the web.

Since this thread is named "housing" it might be a good place to start, and if it gets too big, we could always start another thread. Hope the person whose friend wants to start an intentional community for those with MS in Northern California will keep us updated — that's the location I keep thinking of for my intentional community of tiny accessible houses linked by a wide deck and hopefully a pool house!

Cabin Fever is one of the companies that I contacted, and they are happy to help plan an accessible small house community. Their houses could be bought outright if you are selling a home especially, and can be heated, cooled and cleaned easily.

**URL removed by Moderator in compliance with MSWorld Guidelines. This may be put in your Profile for all registered, logged-in members to see. Go to UserCP > Edit Details**

[palmtree]

The Catch 22 of intentional housing is that those who most need it are not able to purchase property. My dream would be a community that is founded by charity and kept going by Medicaid and HUD.

Your vision is much like mine. Little cottages and a place to immerse ourselves in water and a place to wheel ourselves over to visit with each other. And the most important is that it have access to nature and the outdoors. Trees, flowers and animals.

My cousin won't tell me the particulars of his plan. I asked him if he was going to get investors and he guffawed at me as though I don't know any thing. He makes me laugh. I think he wants to form a religious community which would not suit everyone with MS.

[agate]

Section 8 no longer has funding. It doesn't accept new applicants and those who are already in Section 8 housing are being phased out if it.

palmtree, I think you may be talking about Section 8 vouchers. That system often is so low on funds that they don't accept new applicants, but that situation can change from time to time, at least if it still works the way it did in Tacoma WA when I lived there. You had to keep an eye on notices in the newspaper at that time.

Or keep calling and asking.

But there are also project-based Section 8 housing possibilities. That is the kind of housing I am in and have been in since 1983. Most communities of any size in the US have at least a few of these HUD apartment buildings. Everyone in them automatically qualifies for Section 8. You don't need to get a voucher because the application for the apartments IS your application for Section 8 assistance. It's built into the application process, which is fairly involved.

The rent is 30% of your income, and medical expenses are taken into account when figuring your rent.

If you do a Google search by entering "project-based Section 8 rental housing" and add the name of your town and state, you'll probably be taken to a Website where you'll find a list of available rental housing.

There's often a long wait on a list, and sometimes you wait years, but other times you get lucky.

[palmtree]

From what I gather, project based housing is a tax incentive for builders. The apartments are at a lower rate than market but not necessarily affordable for very low income people. In my area a one bedroom would be about $900/month under these programs. They also told me you have to live there 5 years and pay market rates before you can apply for the low income program. Most of them are very nice apartments designed by architects on a pro bono basis.

Of course, where I live there is a terrible shortage of affordable housing. If a waiting list opens up, people stand in line all night and the list is closed in two hours with an astronomical number of people on the list. Even if you are first in line, you still are only on the waiting list.

[agate]

palmtree, we may be talking about two different types of housing. The project-based rental housing I'm familiar with was built with built-in incentives for builders but they're also Section 8, but the Section 8 status isn't portable. You can't take a voucher and go somewhere else with it. Your Section 8 status is limited to the project-based building you're in.

However, it is transferrable. I recently moved from a project-based Section 8 rental apartment building in one state to a very similar building in another state. I did have to wait a long time on a waiting list and reapply to do this but it was the same routine, the same forms.

The rent is always 30% of the tenant's income, with an allowance for medical expenses figured in. Some people pay rent as low as $40/month. Mine is currently at $177/month but it changes every year when recertification takes place.