Breaking down silos toward the right to the city: Moving toward community integration of People with Disabilities

Welfare policy has created challenges for low-income individuals to access and keep safe affordable public housing/vouchers, adequate healthcare and meaningful/gainful employment. For people with disabilities, there are additional challenges based on medical and environmental barriers and compounded by federal/state policies favoring institutional placements and segregated housing over independent living with appropriate support services. They are not only competing with people without disabilities for community services and affordable housing, they are also facing the dual challenge of finding affordable housing that is accessible and integrated, while maneuvering through a fragmented program and policy maze for support. Whilst the housing literature on people with disabilities is scarce, focusing on discrimination in gaining access, this research assists with closing the gap on understanding public housing/voucher and program coordination with people with disabilities living in a long term care facility searching for housing in the community.

A mixed methods [qualitative and spatial analysis] approach was employed. Focus groups findings with individuals with disabilities locating affordable, accessible, integrated housing from a long-term care setting in Chicagoland will be discussed. To better understand their challenges, social service agencies, landlords and public housing authorities were also interviewed. A review of the literature, policies and programs are analyzed and juxtaposed with focus group and interview findings through geographical spatial analysis on housing and community area data. The research findings will be used to contribute to creative solutions to overcome identified barriers. Integrated housing policy recommendations will prove invaluable to program and policy makers in assisting toward community incorporation.