20 new housing vouchers open up for people with disabilities in Racine County

Nov. 26--RACINE COUNTY -- Twenty local people with disabilities at risk of homelessness are set to be getting a housing voucher within the next four months, thanks to a new federal grant the Racine County Housing Authority has received.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently approved $131.3 million to be distributed to 325 local public housing authorities (like the RCHA) that would provide vouchers for as many as 15,363 households, with at least one its residents with a disability, across the U.S. These new vouchers are issued through the Mainstream Voucher Program.

The household would also need to income-qualify, meaning the income is 30% of the local median or poverty line -- whichever is higher.

The vouchers would be geared to helping prevent people with disabilities, who are not elderly, from becoming homeless.

"It's exciting," said Larissa Seward, RCHA's executive director. "People who have disabilities are often at more risk of homelessness than those who don't have a disability."

In particular, the vouchers would aim to help people with disabilities who fall into these four categories:

-- Those transitioning out of a institutional setting at serious risk of institutionalization.

-- Those who are currently homeless.

-- Those who have been homeless and are currently in a permanent supportive housing or rapid rehousing project.

-- Those at risk of becoming homeless, which Seward said is anyone who is low-income.

Seward said it should not matter if the applicant's disability is physical or mental. She is hoping the new vouchers will be distributed by March 1.

"What we see here is that people who have disabilities have had problems in the past renting units," she said, especially if the person also has a criminal record or an eviction in their past. "We're looking to partner with some landlords to work with people who don't have the best credit score or who don't have the best credit history."

RCHA is planning to partner with the county's Human Services: Aging and Disability Services office to identify 20 people to invite to apply and potentially receive the voucher.

The vouchers also would be renewable each year and could be expanded in the future, meaning in the next few years more Racine County vouchers would be guaranteed for people with disabilities.

The new vouchers aren't expected to affect the current wait list, which was last opened for applications last summer.

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