HUD PROVIDES RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 490 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN OHIO

CLEVELAND - U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that 490 of non-elderly Americans with disabilities will receive housing assistance to enable them to access affordable housing. Public housing authorities across Ohio will receive $2,651,173 to help this population through HUD's Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Persons with Disabilities Program.

The grants announced today are part of the $40 million HUD made available last April to help public housing
authorities across the country fund rental vouchers for non-elderly persons with disabilities. PHAs could apply for funding under the following categories:

• Category I - These vouchers will be used by non-elderly individuals with disabilities and their families access affordable housing in a community that adequately meets their needs. Today's announcement is for this category.
• Category II - Up to 1,000 vouchers will be specifically targeted for non-elderly individuals with disabilities currently living in nursing homes and other health care institutions move into the community with rental assistance. This category will be announced later this year.

Last year, as part of President Obama's Year of Community Living initiative, HUD and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a joint effort to provide housing support for non-elderly persons with disabilities. The interagency collaboration is intended to allow persons with disabilities to live productive independent lives in their communities rather than in institutional settings. This announcement represents the first phase of the joint effort.

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.