Housing Opportunities
UCP of Texas is proud to assist individuals with disabilities and their families in finding the right type of housing. Whether you want to rent an accessible apartment or pursue a dream of homeownership, UCP Texas is here to help!
Affordable, Accessible and Integrated Housing
UCP Texas initiated a first of its kind housing project to benefit people with disabilities and their families. Section 811 funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD). Typically, nonprofit developers use them to design and build group homes or small apartment complexes for people with disabilities. UCP Texas used the funds to buy condos in Austin at The Boulevard development.
UCP Texas is leasing the units to very low-income people with disabilities and their families at affordable rental rates. Because the units are scattered throughout the development, the residents with disabilities will be fully integrated in their neighborhood-not segregated in their own "special" location.
Texas Home of Your Own
The Texas Home of Your Own (HOYO) Coalition is committed to making homeownership a reality for Texans with disabilities. Through HOYO, disability advocacy organizations, government housing agencies, realtors, private lenders and others join forces to help people with disabilities turn what was once the impossible dream of owning a home to a dream come true.
Single-Family Development Program
UCP Texas is committed to developing a single-family housing program that would include purchasing, rehabilitating, and selling affordable and accessible single-family housing to people with disabilities in Austin through a new Austin-based Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO)-Accessible Housing Austin!
Housing Training and Technical Assistance
Capacity Building Project for Consumer-Directed Home Modifications: UCP Texas provides training and leadership within the nonprofit housing, social service, and disability advocacy communities to promote consumer-directed barrier removal services. It also works for systems change at the state and local levels in barrier removal services and programs.
Consulting Services: UCP Texas has trained more than 100 representatives of public housing authorities through the comprehensive training package we developed: Consumer Choice and Community Integration: Meeting the Housing Needs of People with Disabilities. We have also provided training and technical assistance to City of Austin staff, which is administering its own architectural barrier removal program.
Housing Research: In partnership with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD), UCP Texas conducted focus groups and individual interviews with people with disabilities across Texas to discuss the state of housing for people with disabilities in Texas. The information gathered from these groups and individuals was incorporated into the TCDD's biennial report to the state legislature in 2005.
Housing Advocacy and Policy Development
UCP Texas was active with others in the disability community in advocating for the State of Texas' ground-breaking visitability legislation. In addition, UCP Texas is actively involved in the state's Consolidated Planning process, including providing testimony on the housing and accessibility needs of people with disabilities.
UCP Texas staff and board members are actively involved in a broad range of policymaking activities at the local, state and national levels. This will further advance the opportunities for people with disabilities to choose to live in affordable, accessible and integrated communities.