DISABILITY RIGHTS IN HOUSING

NONPROFIT RESOURCES:
Disability Rights Texas 
Navigate Life Texas This website describes housing options for young adults with disabilities and links resources to help parents with the transition. It is “supported by the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS).” *found in the about section

211 Texas is a resource created by the Texas Health and Human Services. It allows visitors to find affordable housing based on their zip code. 

Texas Law Help.org 
Here are some helpful pages that answer common questions about housing rights, accommodations, assistance animals, and house vouchers. 

GOVERNMENT WEBSITES:
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
  • Tools for Serving People with Disabilities This page describes programs designed to help administrators, developers, and local service providers care for the disability community. The services include utility bill assistance, rental assistance, and home repair assistance, and more. 
  • Fair Housing Overview This page lists the various laws that support the Fair Housing Act. It also links resources on how to file a complaint, fair housing presentations, information for renters or homebuyers. 
  • TDHCA Interactive This is a helpful resource for finding housing. For individuals with disabilities, it may be helpful to use the Vacancy Clearinghouse Tool as one can filter for properties that apply to the Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program. 
  • Section 811 Project Rental Assistance Program This page goes over eligibility and the target population for this program. This initiative was designed to provide rental assistance for low-income individuals with disabilities.  
  • Housing Choice Voucher Section 8 This page describes the TDHCA run program which provides housing vouchers to low-income individuals with disabilities. For more information, visit the HUD Housing Choice Vouchers Fact Sheet 

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 
  • HUD Fair Housing and Civil Rights Explains the Civil Rights Act of 1968, specifically Title VIII of the Act which is the Fair Housing Act. There is a linked button to file a complaint with HUD. There are also links to other pages which go over laws and other resources available to the public.  
  • HUD Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) Provides resources on housing discrimination and fair housing rights. There is also a tab for disability resources. 
  • HUD What We Do Page The links in the Fairness column or the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) link may be helpful to those with disabilities. They discuss fair lending, housing discrimination, and how to obtain rental assistance. 

The State of Texas Governor
Office of the Texas Governor Greg Abbott This website links to many resources found on the TDHCA and HUB websites. It also lists State and Federal Law pertaining to accessibility in housing. It may be beneficial to look at the Reasonable Modifications Flyer.

The Texas Workforce Commission
Texas Workforce Commision (TWC) This website provides information on fair housing requirements and outlines unacceptable behavior from a landlord if an individual has a disability.  

The ADA National Network 
ADA Living with a Service Animal This page dives into housing laws that protect individuals with disabilities. It also describes where service animals fall under fair housing rights and provides a link to a HUD sample letter for requesting accommodations. 

SAMPLE LETTERS:
disABILITYsa