A new report from the Technical Assistance Collaborative and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities highlights the rental affordability challenges faced by people with disabilities. Many low-wealth people with significant, long-term disabilities rely on federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as their sole source of income.
In 2016 in North Carolina, SSI benefits were $733 per month—only 21.8% of median income for the state. Housing is typically considered affordable when housing-related expenses make up no more than 30% of a household’s income. To rent an efficiency unit priced at fair market rent, a person relying on SSI would have to pay 85% of their monthly income on average. The cost of a one-bedroom rental unit ranged from a low of 66% of monthly SSI income in Rockingham County to over 100% in markets like Charlotte and the Triangle.
The NC Housing Finance Agency requires apartments developed through the Housing Credit program to set aside at least 10% (and up to 20%) of units for people with disabilities. These “Targeted Units” are eligible to receive Key Rental Assistance, which helps cover the gap between the unit’s rent and what is affordable to tenants relying on federal disability benefits like SSI so that no Key household pays more than 25% of their income in rent.
Visit the Agency’s Policy and Research page to learn more about how our programs finance housing solutions for people with disabilities.
