Besides finding employment, securing adequate housing is one of the most challenging tasks for people with disabilities and the people who love them. Without a safe, secure, and affordable place to live, people with disabilities can be severely hindered in their quest to be a contributing member of American society, a right that is guaranteed them under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Even in the case when adequate housing is located, disabled persons in Mississippi face the difficult challenge of figuring out how they will pay for it on a long-term basis. After all, one of the main definitions of a disability is that it interferes with one's ability to complete the tasks associated with their mode of employment, in many cases rendering individuals unable to work at all.

Social Security Does Not Offer Direct Housing Benefits

Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration itself does not offer any direct housing or rent assistance, regardless of whether you qualify for SSD or SSI benefits. In some cases, the SSD and SSI benefits are enough of an income boost that disabled persons can use them to procure housing. Sadly our disability lawyers have encountered many individuals who fell into homelessness waiting for their Social Security benefits to kick in. However, there are other options for disabled persons who need help securing housing.

Several government agencies and organizations exist to help persons with disabilities find and keep an affordable place to live. Keep reading to learn more about benefits that may exist to help you find housing, and remember, if you or someone you love feels that your benefits claim has been denied incorrectly, disability lawyers at the Martin Law Group are available to help. We offer a initial consultation completely free of charge, and strive to keep our prices affordable if and when we move forward with a case.

Housing Location Assistance Opportunities

If you're a disabled person looking for help with the location of a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live, our disability lawyers in Mississippi recommend you start your search with the following:

• HUD's Low Rent Apartment Search – This online tool allows people to search by city, town, or zip code for apartments that are accessible for people living with disabilities.
• SocialServe.com – This is another online research tool that makes it fairly easy to search for affordable and accessible housing in almost every state in the U.S. A unique feature of this website is that you can filter your search by how much rent you can afford. This resource is also accessible by phone, including a version for Spanish speakers.
• Mississippi Home Corporation – This organization provides a variety of different assistance programs designed to help people with disabilities or low-incomes find adequate housing. According to the MHC website, the organization's core function is to “assist owner occupied and rental housing targeted to moderate and lower-income working families. We do this by providing housing finance products not available from other sources.”
• The US Department of Agriculture – If you're a disabled person living in rural Mississippi, the challenges associated with finding affordable and accessible housing are even more immense. The USDA provide funding for multi-family apartment complexes in rural areas throughout the country. Call their office of Rural Development for more information.

We hope this list of resources will be helpful to you in your search for affordable and accessible housing in Mississippi.

Again, if you need help filing a disability claim or believe that your claim for Social Security Disability benefits have been denied unjustly, contact the ERISA case lawyers at The Martin Law Group immediately. Our initial consultations are always FREE!