Thousands of senior citizens and persons with disabilities will soon be able to find affordable housing, thanks to more than $550 million in housing assistance announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The funding will provide interest-free capital advances to non-profit developers so they can produce accessible housing, offer rental assistance, and provide supportive services for the elderly and persons with disabilities.

The grants announced are provided through HUD's Section 202 and Section 811 Supporting Housing programs. They will fund 169 projects in 46 states. To read a detailed summary of each grant, visit HUD's website.

"The Obama Administration is committed to making sure our senior citizens and persons with disabilities have opportunities to live in decent, affordable homes," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Neither of these groups should ever have to worry about being able to find a safe place to live."

Section 202 Capital Advance ($454.5 million nationwide to assist very low-income elderly)

HUD's Section 202 Capital Advance Program expands the supply of affordable housing with supportive services for the elderly. It provides very low-income elderly persons 62 years of age or older with the opportunity to live independently in an environment that provides support services to frail elderly resident.

In addition to funding the construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of multifamily developments, HUD's Section 202 program also provides Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) funds to subsidize the rents so that residents only pay 30 percent of their adjusted incomes.

To be eligible for the assistance a household must be classified as "very low- income," which means an income less than 50 percent of the area median. Nationally, based on 50 percent of the national median family income with an applicable adjustment for household size, a one-person household would need to have an income equal to or less than $22,400 a year.

Section 811 Capital Advance ($95.7 million nationwide to assist very low-income with disabilities)

This housing, most of which will be newly constructed, typically is small apartment buildings, group homes for three to four people per home, or condominium units. Residents will pay 30 percent of their adjusted income for rent and the federal government will pay the rest.

Capital advance funds are awarded under HUD's Section 811 program, providing housing for households with one or more very low-income individuals with a disability. Under this program at least one person must be 18 years or older and have a physical or developmental disability or chronic mental illness.

The term "person with disabilities" also includes two or more people with disabilities living together, and one or more persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in attendants. The program provides persons with disabilities the opportunity to live independently in their communities by increasing the supply of rental housing with the availability of supportive services.

To be classified as "very low-income," a household income cannot exceed 50 percent of the area median income. However, most households that receive Section 811 assistance have an income less than 30 percent of the area median. Generally, this means that a one-person household will have an annual income of about $13,450.

HUD provides the Section 202 and Section 811 funds to non-profit organizations in two forms:

• Capital Advances. This is funding that covers the cost of developing, acquiring, or rehabilitating the development. Repayment is not required as long as the housing remains available for occupancy by very low-income elderly persons for at least 40 years for (under Section 202) or very low-income persons with disabilities (under Section 811).
   
• Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC). This is funding that goes to each development to cover the difference between the residents' contributions toward rent and the HUD-approved cost of operating the project.