Housing Advocacy Heats Up
HUD Sued under Section 504
Advocates for disability housing have made slow but steady progress over the past year. Among the advances are a report on the problems, negotiations to settle a lawsuit on enforcemnent of Section 504, Fair Housing and ADA, as well as other more targeted victories related to more Section 8 certificates and disallowing mandatory services (like meal programs), among others.
In the winter of 1996 the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, released a report tabulating their results of the Housing Forums co-sponsored by HUD, ADAPT, and NACDRH [now DRACH- Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing.] The forums, which were kicked off at ADAPT’s Houston action, were also held in Denver, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Oakland. Major issues addressed at these forums included:
- Discontinue segregated and “diagnostic specific” housing.
- Discontinue Section 232 Nursing home and assisted living programs.
- Discontinue mandatory services linked to housing.
- Increase the number of units available for persons with disabilities, especially the number of two and three bedroom units.
- Increase the number of affordable units available for persons with disabilities.
- Discontinue mandatory services linked to housing
- Ensure visitability (at least one zero-step entrance and 32” wide doors.)
- Ensure that persons with disabilities have a variety of housing choices.
- Educate housing providers, housing industry, HUD staff and public to overcome bias against persons with disabilities.
- Create national\regional fund for access modifications to homes and apartments.
- Cut down the time a person remains on waiting list (Section 8, etc.)
- Increase availability of Section 8 certificates\vouchers for persons with disabilities.
- Enforce Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The report was sent to each of HUD’s regional Secretary’s Representatives. HUD headquarters, particularly their new Office on Disability Policy, is using it as a guide to assist in reforming housing programs and policies to better reflect the desires of their customers with disabilities.
In September 1966 several disability rights groups, including ADAPT and DRACH, filed a federal lawsuit against HUD for lack of enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Disability activists all across the country have found rampant noncompliance among housing developers in their communities. Enforcement by HUD of their won regulations has failed to take place and has, among other things, resulted in many of the other problems identified at the forums. Settlement negotiations are taking place, but it remains to be seen if HUD is able to overcome its paternalism and prejudice enough to comply with 504 and other fair housing protections.
If you care about unfair housing for people with disabilities in your community, you might be interested in DRACH’s housing advocacy workshops and their new manual “From Warehouses to Our Houses”, not to mention their informative newsletter Home Front. To find out more contact DRACH: 501 SW Jackson, Suite 100-B, Topeka KS 66603 phone: 913/233-4572, TTY: 913/233-1815, fax: 913/233-5072 or email:drach@kspress.com