This section provides various resources for those looking for accessible housing.
Visitability in Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Visitability Committee has been working since 2002 to raise public awareness about visitability and promote legislation requiring 100 percent of new, market-rate housing to be visitable. Visitability is now required in all publicly subsidized multi-family housing built in the City.
Since 2007, the Committee’s primary focus has been outreach and education. These efforts are designed to broaden local awareness about Visitability and to promote legislation requiring Visitability for all new housing built within Philadelphia. The Committee and members of the Committee through their individual organizations have accomplished the following:
- Visitability written into Philadelphia’s updated Planning Code (2011)
- Visitability for Urban Neighborhoods Design Charrette
- Visitability included in Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s Laying the Foundation for an Age-friendly Philadelphia
- Presentations on Visitability at community forums and to individual groups, including the Building Industry Association (BIA)
Resources:
- Aging in a New Age Summit (PowerPoint), Community Design Collaborative and the Philadelphia Visitability Committee, May 9, 2011
- Promoting Visitability in Philadelphia (brochure), Philadelphia Visitability Committee, 2009
- Visitability in Pennsylvania (brochure), Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, 2008
Housing Counseling
Click here for detailed information on housing counseling services and a list of DHCD-funded housing counseling agencies.
The Philly Primer
This is a housing resources guide for people with disabilities in Philadelphia. The Philly Primer includes chapters on “Renting an Affordable Home”, “Buying a Home”, “Staying in Your Current Home or Apartment”, and information on national, state and local resource organizations.
Download The Philly Primer [Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 
]
Informative Websites
Fair Housing Accessibility First
www.fairhousingfirst.org
Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST, supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is an initiative designed to promote compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements.
The National Fair Housing Advocate Online
www.fairhousing.com
This website, The National Fair Housing Advocate Online, is a resource designed to serve both the fair housing advocacy community and the general public with timely news and information regarding the issues of housing discrimination.
HUD Website for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
www.hud.gov/offices/fheo
This website provides a wealth of practical information about Fair Housing Laws and Presidential Executive Orders, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 prohibits discrimination based on disability in any federally funded program, including housing and community development
HUD Website for People with Disabilities
www.hud.gov/groups/disabilities.cfm
HUD has created this page for People with Disabilities. It contains information, from all parts of HUD’s web site of interest to people with disabilities.
National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modifications
www.homemods.org
Their mission is to make supportive housing and home modification a more integral component of successful aging, long term care, preventive health, and the development of elder-friendly communities.
Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council
www.paddc.org
This website provides information about the PA Developmental Disabilities Council, whose mission is to encourage and support the creation of an environment in which all citizens of Pennsylvania can thrive without regard to disability.
PA Housing Search Apartment Locator
www.PAHousingSearch.com
PAHousingSearch.com is a free, online rental and homeownership service that links people who need housing he housing.
Disability Rights Pennsylvania
http://disabilityrightspa.org
DRP has helped tens of thousands of children and adults with disabilities access special education services, obtain needed health and mental health care, gain access to employment and housing, and intervened to stop the abuse, neglect and rights violations of Pennsylvanians with disabilities.
MAMP
Model Affirmative Marketing Plan For Accessible Housing Units
The Model Affirmative Marketing Plan (MAMP) is designed to help assure maximum occupancy of accessible housing by people with disabilities in Philadelphia. The MAMP clarifies both city policy and federal regulations on marketing accessible units. It provides strategies for effectively marketing accessible units to people with disabilities by providing a range of techniques to assist property owners and managers in complying with this policy.
Download MAMP [Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ]
