Mainstream Vouchers Award
AMHA Awarded New Housing Program for Families with Disabilities
On Monday, November 25th, Pamela Ashby, Cleveland Field Office Director for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) presented Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA) with a $484,580 award to create a new housing voucher program (Mainstream Program) that will assist 80 families struggling to find housing due to a disability. The award was announced at a press conference at the REACH Opportunity Center at Summit Lake. In attendance at the event were Senator Vernon Sykes, and representatives from the offices of Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, Congressman Tim Ryan, Mayor Dan Horrigan, and County Executive Ilene Shapiro.
AMHA is the largest affordable housing provider in Summit County, with 40,000 individuals currently in AMHA subsidized housing. Despite this, there is a significant shortage of affordable housing in Summit County. At all income levels and for all people there is a need to have more housing resources for our community.
One specific population, those Individuals and families with a family member who is disabled, face even greater challenges finding housing that meets their needs and are one of the populations that is impacted the most by the county’s limited housing options. The lack of accessible and affordable housing is the number one barrier to Ohioans with a disability to live independently outside of institutions and shelters.
“We are thrilled that AMHA’s new voucher program will benefit so many people with disabilities and their families who have housing needs,” said Summit DD Superintendent John Trunk. “Once again, we find Summit County leading the way to support all of its citizens and we are grateful for partners like AMHA.”
Families impacted by disabilities are frequently on a fixed income of less than $800 per month. This $800 must pay for rent, food, medical needs, and all other living expenses. With this limited income, a family may be forced to decide between rent and other family needs. AMHA’s Mainstream Program will offer a relief to those families, minimizing the greatest cost they have each month, rent. Participating families in this program will seek out housing that is best suited for the needs of the family. Families will pay 30 percent of their monthly income on rent, and Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority will pay the landlord the remaining rent amount out of the grant funds made available through this program.
“These new grant funds will allow us to provide assistance to 80 families with disabilities at risk of homelessness that may have otherwise ended up on the street or in a shelter,” said Brian Gage, Executive Director of AMHA. “It continues to be AMHA’s priority to utilize housing resources to assist families facing the most challenges.”
There are currently over 20,000 families waiting for AMHA housing assistance, and approximately 4,000 of those families have a disability that would qualify them for the new voucher program. AMHA will begin to contact families that may be eligible for the program in the upcoming weeks.
Although many partners within Summit County are dedicated to serving the population with disabilities population, there are very few resources available to provide permanent housing assistance for these individuals. Programs like AMHA’s new voucher program are critical to developing more stable housing for families living with a disability.
AMHA applied for this federal funding in partnership with local service providers such as Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board (Summit DD), Summit County Continuum of Care (COC), Tri-County Independent Living Center (TCILC), Direction Home, Family & Community Services, Inc., United Disability Services (UDS), Coleman Professional Services, Community Support Services, and County of Summit ADM Board.
