According to the DisabilityScoop, housing is becoming more difficult to find for people with disabilities, as a new report finds that rent for small apartments often exceed the total government benefits offered through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
According to a report released by the Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, people with disabilities would need 104 percent of the payments they receive from Supplemental Security Income to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), housing is considered affordable when it makes up no more than 30 percent of a person’s income.
The study compared the value of monthly SSI payments, which 4.8 million Americans with disabilities rely on, with federal government data from 2012 on fair market rents for studio and one-bedroom apartments in cities across the country, according to DisabilityScoop.
“Nowhere in the United States can people with disabilities receiving SSI afford a safe, decent place to live,” Kevin Martone, executive director of the Technical Assistance Collaborative told DisabilityScoop. “Yet taxpayer resources are spent exponentially on the costs associated with institutionalization and homelessness when more cost effective, proven solutions exist.”
In 2012, monthly SSI payments to individuals averaged $726. At the same time, rent for a one-bedroom apartment averaged $758 per month, according to HUD. This is unfortunate—people with disabilities deserve better treatment. In order to qualify for SSDI benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires applicants to show that they cannot do work because of their medical conditions. For more information, we suggest you visit our FAQ page.
If you have questions about disability benefits, do not hesitate to contact us for a free evaluation of your case. You may also reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security disability attorneys
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