Section 202 & Section 811: Supportive Housing for Seniors and People with Disabilities

Updated · Reviewed against current HUD program rules

Two little-known HUD programs finance dedicated apartment communities for older adults and people with disabilities: Section 202 (elderly) and Section 811 (disabilities). Both operate under PRAC — Project Rental Assistance Contracts — where tenants pay about 30% of income and nonprofit owners provide service coordinators on site. Nearly 6,000 PRAC properties appear in our database.

Who qualifies

§202: households where at least one member is 62+. §811: adults with qualifying disabilities (physical, developmental, chronic mental illness) aged 18–61 at move-in. Income limits track very-low-income thresholds (≤50% AMI), and PRAC projects must give preference to extremely-low-income applicants.

Rents and services

Rent equals roughly 30% of adjusted income, with minimum rents near $25–$75. Beyond affordability, the signature feature is the service coordinator connecting residents to meals, transportation, health services, and independent-living supports — at no extra charge.

How to apply

Like PBS8, applications go directly to each property's management office. Buildings are small (often 20–60 units), so lists move steadily. Filter our database by program badge “§202 Senior” or “§811” to locate every PRAC community in your city and county.

Frequently asked questions

Is Section 202 housing a nursing home?
No. §202 properties are independent-living apartments with optional support services. Residents live self-sufficiently; aides and medical care remain private arrangements (or Medicaid-funded).
Can a non-disabled person live in §811 housing?
Units are reserved for qualifying persons with disabilities; in some projects a spouse or caregiver may reside. At 62+, residents transition conceptually to §202-type communities.