Housing
“A home isn’t just a place you live. It’s a place you love to live.”
– Mauro Family (from a story about a family getting an accessible home)
Introduction
- Living independently may mean finding housing that fits you and your specific needs
- Housing could be a room you rent, an apartment, or a house
- Learning about how to rent, communicate with landlords, use your rights as a renter and understand different types of housing options and programs available may all help you when looking for housing
- At some point, you may choose to buy a house and fit it to your specific needs
Looking for Housing
- There are many different types of housing
- Looking for housing can be overwhelming, consider making a list of what you are looking for in a living situation to find what works best for you
- Location, neighborhood, your budget, the type of housing and accessibility may all be considerations when thinking about housing
- Think about visiting a location to see it in person and see if it fits your needs before committing
- You may be living with other people, and will want to find out the general guidelines around shared spaces, and consider how they may impact you personally and your needs specific to your disability
Living in Your Home
- Once you have secured a place, you will need to think about working with your landlord to make your experience a success
- You might consider what supplies you will need and if you need any modifications
- You might also consider making a plan to pay your rent and other bills on time
- You can successfully stay in your home, get to know your neighbors and create a successful relationship with your landlord if you follow a few guidelines
- Staying in your home means learning how to work with your landlord, understand the terms of your lease and making modifications to your home, either temporary or permanent, that work for you and your disability
Disaster Preparation
- No matter where you live, major disasters are a possibility
- You know you. Your ability to plan and know yourself is greater than what neighbors or emergency personnel are going to be able to do in a crisis
- Have a backup plan for your backup plan. If your plan relies on someone else, but they are unable to respond – what then?
- Keeping yourself safe until you can get to safety or get help is your main concern
Resources
Sample Documents:
New Place Supply List
Roommate Questions
Sample Lease Agreement
Sample Letter for Notice
Housing:
Home Remodeling for People with Disabilities
HUD Home Modification Brochure
Department of Labor – Disability Resources
Fair Housing – Rights Fact Sheet
Apartment Application Checklist
Disaster:
Disability Disaster Preparation Tips
Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies
References
Apartment safety. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/apartment_safety_in_the_city_of_madison
Badami, S. (2009). Who pays for reasonable modifications or reasonable accommodation requests? Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://fairhousing.foxrothschild.com/2009/11/articles/fha-basics/who-pays-for-reasonable-modification-or-reasonable-accommodation-requests/
Good neighbor tips. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://www.umt.edu/asum/asum_agencies/Off_Campus_Renter_Center/neighborhood_ambassador_program/Good%20Neighbor%20Tips.php
Jackowski, J. (2015). Everything you’ll need for an apartment application. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/apartment-application-items-you-need/
Justice, L. The laws of inclusive neighborhoods. The Ability Center of Greater Toledo.
Make a plan- individuals with disabilities. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://www.ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs
Medical conditions and disabilities. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://safety.smart911.com/outreach-materials-for-medical-conditions-and-disabilities/
Morrow, S. (2009). Real estate series part II: What is a landlord responsible for? Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/real-estate-series-part-ii-what-is-a-landlord-responsible-for
Rental lease agreements. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from https://rentalleaseagreement.org
Rights of tenants: Evictions. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://ptla.org/rights-tenants-evictions#
Rupert, A. (2017). What’s the difference between renter’s insurance and homeowner’s insurance? Retrieved August 11, 2017, from http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/101314/whats-difference-between-renters-insurance-and-homeowners-insurance.asp
Stewart, M. (2015). Rights & responsibilities of tenants. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://real-estate.lawyers.com/landlord-tenant-law/rights-and-responsibilities-of-tenants.html
Tenant eviction: What you should know as a renter. (2017). Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://realestate.findlaw.com/landlord-tenant-law/tenant-eviction-what-you-should-know-as-a-renter.html
What is renters insurance? (2017). Retrieved August 11, 2017, from https://www.allstate.com/tools-and-resources/renters-insurance/what-does-renters-insurance-cover.aspx
