![]() Within reason, landlords are required to allow you to make modifications to your unit to accommodate your specific disability. Also, ask to see its latest inspection certificate to make sure the elevator is kept in good repair. This question might be irrelevant if your unit is on the first floor, but if not, and if you can’t climb stairs, find out if there is an elevator. While this may or may not be compliant with local rules, you need to be sure the distance from the parking space to your apartment is acceptable for your particular needs. ![]() Advise the landlord of your disability and ask whether any apartments are available to meet that need.Īccessible units should have accompanying accessible parking. There are two basic types of accessible apartments: barrier-free units, which are geared toward wheelchair access, and accessible units designed around other disabilities, like blindness or deafness. What types of accessible apartments are available?.Here are 4 basic questions to ask to help narrow your search for a handicap accessible apartment. However, since not every disability is the same, not every accessible apartment may be suited to your needs. In most cases with modern or retrofitted housing, this means a percentage of units are designated “handicap accessible” apartments with certain accessible features. If Project Equal Access determines that it is not possible for the landlord to accommodate your request, they will work with you to find an apartment that is a better fit for you.If you have a physical or mental disability that requires special consideration with regard to your housing, the law requires landlords to make every reasonable effort to accommodate you if possible. You can also reach out to Project Equal Access, which will determine whether the landlord can meet your disability accommodation request for the apartment in question. Be sure to be clear with your requests and outline how a potential accommodation can meet your specific needs with your disability. When you have found an apartment that meets your criteria but still needs some renovation to suit your needs, you can use the HPD’s Rental Assistance and Home Modification Site which offers you resources on how to get the modifications you need for your accessible apartment. If you feel overwhelmed by your options and need assistance in applying to housing that is accessible for your disability, you can reach out to HPD’s Housing Ambassadors, who can provide information and guide you throughout the application process. There is also the Breaking Ground program via the NYC HPD website, which also provides subsidized and accessible apartments through a lottery. The NYC HPD also has a joint lottery with the Housing Development Corporation – 5% of new developments are set aside for mobility-impaired renters and 2% for those with visual and hearing disabilities. Some excellent resources include the NYC Housing Preservation and Development’s Affordable Housing Guide for Applicants with Disabilities, where renters can read to better understand how to apply for affordable housing. Rent controlled or rent-stabilized apartments may also be available for disabled renters. Many local housing authorities have a lottery system that have preferences to provide housing with individuals with certain disabilities, whether mobility, or cognitive. Third, figure out if you qualify for market-rate housing or subsidized housing because of your disability. Local newspapers, as well as universities, may have a forum or section where you can find accessible apartments. You can also look at publications such as, , and, which may have units specifically designed for disabled tenants. If you are disabled, or apartment hunting with someone disabled, you will have to do more research to ensure that you are getting an apartment that is accessible for your/their disability. Doing it with a disability in a city like New York presents additional challenges, because let us face it, New York City, and the entire world, is not constructed with the needs of disabled people in mind. Hunting for an apartment, in general, can be exhausting.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |