Programs
Special Needs Section 811

Special Needs Section 811

Year Started 1990
Administratering Agency U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Total Units Count 3,435,161
Total Assisted Units Count 2,683,016
# Persons/Houshold Served 2,274,058
Funding Agency U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Population Targeted Very low-income (less than 50% of AMI) household comprised of at least one adult member with a disibility
Client Group Type Section 811- Disabled
Housing Type Name Multifamily Housing
Last Updated June 1, 2022

If the resource information above is incorrect, please notify your local HUD field office.

Section 811 is a Government supported program that assists in Housing for Persons with Disabilities. Eligibility determination is defined as meeting at least 1 of the criteria below:

One or more persons aged 18 years or older suffering from a disability
Two or more persons suffering from a disability living together or living with another person who is determined by HUD to be important to their care or well-being.
The surviving member or members of any household described in the above who were living in a unit prior to the deceased disabled member of the household at the time of his or her death.
A person with disabilities is defined and includes the following.
A person who has a developmental disability
Example: Mental or physical impairment or combination of both that has manifested before age 22, is likely to continue indefinitely, and result in limitation in the following areas-
- Self-care
- Expressive language
- Learning
- Mobility
- Self-Direction
- Capacity for independent living
- Economic self-sufficiency
- Depicting the person’s need for care or other services for an extended period
A person with chronic, severe, and persistent mental or emotional impairment who can not live independently
Person infected with HIV and suffering from Alcoholism or Drug addiction that deems them unable to live independently

There are particular standards regarding not only square footage of the area in which the disabled individual will live but additional criteria regarding accessibility. HUD has also defined some common areas for tenants built into the project.

All common areas have to be monitored by staff
Bedrooms or housing units must be accessible to persons with physical disabilities
Project Size Limitations of Units Allowed:
- Group homes: no more than 15 persons are allowed on one site
- Independent living complexes for chronically mentally ill no more than 20 persons on one site
- Independent living complexes for handicapped families with either developmental disability or physically disabled may not have more than 24 units/households on one site
- Note: that there may be case-by-case exceptions where HUD could approve larger size of units, if necessary, economically for the project or the size proposed would benefit the community due to population