Miami has more than 9,000 public apartment homes.
Miami, Florida, attracts people with its beaches, palm trees and warm weather. Miami has more than its physical surroundings to offer, though, particularly to its more vulnerable residents. Low-income disabled Miami residents have access to housing assistance programs, public housing and assistance for paying utilities. Community Action Agencies and nonprofit organizations can help you apply for any help that you need to keep you in a safe, healthy and comfortable home.
Housing Choice Vouchers
Housing Choice Vouchers are federal funds that are distributed through local Public Housing Authority offices. There are four located in the Miami area, as of 2011. These offices determine eligibility for vouchers based on your income, assets, family size and overall situation, including if anyone in your household has a disability. If you're approved, you can use the voucher for any rental property you'd like, provided the Public Housing Authority office approves it. The voucher is paid directly to your landlord, and you're responsible for any difference in cost.
Public Housing
The Miami-Dade Public Housing Agency has more than 9,000 units of public housing; even with that many units, however, there's frequently a waiting list. To qualify for public housing, your household has to be low income, which is defined in this case as 80 percent or less of the median income in Miami-Dade County. They also consider your status as a disabled person. To apply, you need your Social Security card, proof of age and income, your Medicare or Medicaid card if applicable, medical information and records, and the contact information for your last three landlords.
Utility Assistance
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program provides federal funds to low-income individuals, including the disabled, to help pay energy bills. The program is administered locally through Miami's Community Action Agencies. There's the Regular Energy Assistance initiative, which offers a credit each year and is sent directly to your utility company. There's also the Crisis Energy Assistance program, which provides emergency help when heat or air conditioning is about to be shut off. This assistance can be applied for twice per year: once during the summer and once during the winter. There are also weather-related crisis funds available when there's a weather-related disaster declared by the governor. These funds can be used to make repairs to your home if it's been damaged in a weather-related event, restoring much-needed comfort and climate control to disabled Miami residents.
Other Assistance
Nonprofit organizations can provide additional assistance in finding and paying for housing that's accessible to the disabled. A Place Called Home (APCHMiami.org) is one of these organizations: It provides assistance in finding low-income housing or assisted living or nursing homes if needed. There are also websites that help you search online for affordable housing: SocialServe.com, for example, allows you to search by region and city, zip code, proximity to public transportation and languages spoken by the landlord. You can also search by specific housing features you need as a disabled person, such as wheelchair ramps, low cabinets and a roll-in shower.
Tags: Public Housing, Energy Assistance, more than, There also, Action Agencies
