TEXAS RECEIVES $12 MILLION TO FUND 385 UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
HUD and HHS partner to prevent homelessness and unnecessary institutionalization 
in Austin, Brownsville, Dallas-FTW, El Paso, Houston, McAllen, San Antonio areas

FORT WORTH – In an effort to spare hundreds of Texans with disabilities from homelessness or unnecessary institutionalization, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) $12 million to provide rental assistance to 385 extremely low-income persons with disabilities, many of whom are transitioning out of institutional settings or who are at extreme risk of homelessness.   Nationally, a total of $98 million was awarded to 13 State agencies.

HUD’s support of these State agencies is made possible through the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Demonstration Program (PRA Demo) which provides funding to enable persons with disabilities who earn less than 30 percent of median income to live in integrated mainstream settings.  TDHCA is partnering with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Dept. of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) and the State’s Medicaid agency to implement the program.

TDHCA will focus the Section 811 PRA Demo on three target populations in seven priority areas in the State.  The target populations are: disabled persons currently in institutions; persons with serious mental illness; and disabled youth transitioning out of State custody. 

The seven priority areas are: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos; Brownsville-Harlingen; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington; El Paso; Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown; McAllen-Edinburg-Mission; and San Antonio-New Braunfels. 

The pool of housing units will come from the State’s Investments Partnership Program, Multifamily Bond Financing Program and Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

“HUD and HHS are working together to solve common sense problems and offer real and lasting solutions for persons who might otherwise be institutionalized or living on our streets,” said HUD Acting Regional Administrator Mark Brezina.  “We’re helping States reduce health care costs, improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities, and ending homelessness as we know it.”

Today’s announcement reinforces the guiding principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act  and the landmark 1999 Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead v. L.C., which requires State and local governments to provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.

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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.govand http://espanol.hud.gov.  You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD, or sign up for news alerts on HUD’s News Mailing List.