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The state of Nebraska offers various supportive and affordable housing options for families, individuals, persons with disabilities, and seniors. These programs are not just limited to state funding, but include federal subsidies and support from non-profit organizations as well. The following part of this article outlines and discusses these supportive housing options:
Public housing is an affordable option that is subsidized by federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These housing units are overseen by local housing authorities and are available to low-income families and individuals, including seniors and persons with disabilities. The renters pay up to 30% of their adjusted income for rent, while the balance is subsidized by the federal government.
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program in Nebraska is another significant supportive housing option. This program is a federal tax incentive designed to promote the construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low-income individuals and families. Developers who take part in the program can sell their tax credits to investors, generating capital for them to build or rehabilitate housing properties while offering affordable rents for the residents.
Another housing assistance program available in the state of Nebraska is the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. This program allows low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. The Rental Assistance Division of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) administers this program in collaboration with local housing agencies. Participants pay a portion of their income towards rent, and the program covers the rest. The amount subsidized depends on the participant's income, family size, and rental market prices.
The Nebraska Emergency Rental Assistance (NERA) program provides financial assistance for eligible Nebraska renters who have lost income due to COVID-19. The program helps by paying past-due and future rental payments, as well as utilities and home energy costs for eligible renters. NERA is funded by the federal COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance program.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services also offers various services for homeless individuals through its Homeless Assistance Program. This includes transitional housing programs that provide temporary housing and support services to individuals and families with the goal of helping them move into permanent housing. Emergency shelters and day centers for the homeless also form part of this initiative.
Through a partnership between HUD and state and local organizations, supportive housing is available for persons with disabilities. The program aims to encourage and support the integration of persons with disabilities into the community. It provides capital advances to finance the construction, rehabilitation, or acquisition, and project-based rental assistance to support operational costs for such housing.
Several non-profit organizations work tirelessly to provide supportive housing options in Nebraska. These include Habitat for Humanity, which builds and rehabilitates homes for those in need, and the Nebraska Housing Developers Association, which advocates for affordable housing and offers education and resources for housing development professionals.
To conclude, these varied supportive housing options aim to address the housing needs of different demographic groups by ensuring everyone in Nebraska has a chance to secure a safe, affordable, and decent place to live.