Non Elderly Disabled Vouchers: How NED and Mainstream Housing Vouchers Work

What non elderly disabled vouchers are

The Housing Choice Voucher program, often called Section 8, helps people with low income rent safe homes from private landlords. Within it, HUD funds special purpose vouchers for certain groups. Non elderly disabled vouchers are one of those groups. The goal is to help adults with disabilities live in the community, including people leaving nursing homes or other institutions.

The vouchers themselves work the same way as regular ones. You find a home, the landlord agrees to the program, the unit passes inspection, and the PHA pays its share of the rent to the landlord each month. What is different is who can receive them and how the PHA chooses families. For a full overview of the base program, see our housing choice voucher program guide.

NED, Mainstream, and regular vouchers compared

HUD guidance to housing agencies draws a few clear lines between the two disability voucher types. The table sums them up.

HUD has said that families do not lose a Mainstream voucher when the person with a disability turns 62. Some NED vouchers, sometimes called Category 2, were set aside for people moving out of nursing homes and other health care facilities. Not every PHA has NED or Mainstream vouchers, and those that do may have only a small number. HUD’s website blocked our automated checks on the review date, so confirm current details with your PHA.

Who qualifies as a person with disabilities

HUD’s housing rules in 24 CFR 5.403 define a person with disabilities in three main ways. A person qualifies if they:

• have a disability as defined for Social Security disability benefits; or
• have a physical, mental, or emotional impairment that is expected to last a long and indefinite time, substantially impedes living independently, and could be helped by more suitable housing; or
• have a developmental disability as defined in federal law.

The same rule says a disability based only on drug or alcohol dependence does not count for qualifying for low-income housing. People with HIV or AIDS are not excluded. You do not have to receive SSI or SSDI, though an award letter is often the simplest proof. The rule also defines a “disabled family” as one whose head, co-head, spouse, or sole member has a disability, which matches who NED vouchers serve.

Income limits and your share of the rent

To get any voucher, your household must be income-eligible, generally “very low income,” which HUD sets at 50% of area median income. Under 24 CFR 982.201, at least 75% of the families a PHA admits from its waiting list each year must be extremely low income. Limits vary by county and household size; your PHA will tell you its numbers.

“Adjusted income” is gross income minus allowed deductions. Households whose head or spouse has a disability can deduct some unreimbursed medical and disability-related costs, so keep receipts.

How PHAs fill these vouchers

Under 24 CFR 982.204, PHAs generally pick voucher holders from their waiting list. When HUD funds vouchers for a specific group, the PHA must select families in that group from the list. In practice, a PHA with NED or Mainstream vouchers looks down its regular list for eligible households. That is why it matters to tell the PHA about a disability when you apply, and to update your application if things change.

PHAs can also set local preferences under 24 CFR 982.207. A PHA may give preference to families that include a person with disabilities, but it may not prefer one specific disability over others. Some PHAs also partner with disability service agencies, Medicaid programs, or homeless services that refer people for these vouchers. Ask your PHA whether it has NED or Mainstream vouchers and whether any partner agency makes referrals.

Many waiting lists open only for short windows. Some PHAs use a lottery, and others use date and time of application. Apply to more than one PHA if you can; lists are often long.

Reasonable accommodations during the process

Federal disability rights rules apply to every step. You can ask the PHA for a reasonable accommodation, which is a change in rules or practices that a disability makes necessary. Common requests include:

• Help applying: large print, a phone or home interview, or help filling out forms.
• Staying on the list: if you missed a PHA letter because of your disability, the PHA must put you back in your old place on the list.
• More search time: a voucher lasts at least 60 days, and the PHA must extend it as an accommodation if a disability makes that necessary (24 CFR 982.303).
• A live-in aide: an extra bedroom for a caregiver who is essential to your care.
• Higher payment standard: an exception so you can afford an accessible unit.

Make requests in writing, explain how the change relates to your disability, and keep a copy.

Finding an accessible home with your voucher

Under 24 CFR 8.28, when a PHA issues a voucher to a family that includes a person with disabilities, it must give a list of available accessible units it knows about and, if needed, help the family find one. It must also consider how hard it is to find an accessible unit when you ask for more time. Ask your local independent living center and disability groups for leads, and look for landlords who have accepted vouchers before. If you need a ramp or grab bars, see our guide to government grants for disabled people.

Section 811 and other housing for people with disabilities

Section 811 is a separate HUD program that funds supportive housing for very low-income people with disabilities. Unlike NED and Mainstream vouchers, Section 811 help is usually tied to a specific building or unit, often with voluntary support services nearby. The rules are in 24 CFR part 891. Your state housing finance agency or 211 can tell you where Section 811 units are. Public housing is another option; the USAGov public housing page explains how to apply.

Documents the housing agency may ask for

The PHA can confirm that a disability exists, but it should not ask for your diagnosis or detailed medical records.

How to apply, step by step

1. Find your local PHAs through the USAGov housing voucher page or 211.
2. Ask each PHA whether it has NED or Mainstream vouchers and whether its waiting list is open.
3. Apply and clearly note the household member with a disability and their age.
4. Ask disability or homeless service agencies whether they refer people to a PHA for these vouchers. See our Section 8 application guide for what the form asks.
5. Keep your contact details current and answer every PHA letter.
6. Request accommodations in writing whenever you need them.

Related guides

• Fastest way to get Section 8
• Social Security disability housing assistance
• Grants for home modifications for the disabled
• Low-income housing with no waiting list

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Each public housing agency sets its own policies within HUD rules. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with HUD or any housing agency.