Access Living offers the following housing services to people with disabilities located in Chicago:
Access Living’s housing services support people with disabilities who want to find independent, integrated housing in their communities. **Access Living does not operate assisted-living facilities. **
Transitioning Services
Through the State of Illinois Colbert and Williams Programs, Access Living provides outreach and location services for participating agencies.
To find out how to join a Colbert/Williams Program class, please visit our Transitioning Out of Nursing Homes page here.
Resource Packet
Access Living does not offer housing location services. However, we do maintain a downloadable Housing Resource Packet for individuals seeking housing. You can download the Housing Resource Packet here.
Legal Services
Access Living offers legal services related to disability-related housing discrimination.
Fair Housing Testing
Under the Fair Housing Act it is against the law to discriminate on basis of disability in all types of housing transactions. Access Living operates a a Fair Housing Testing Program to determine if discriminatory practices are taking place.
If you would like to join the program as a housing tester, send a resume and one-page writing sample to HousingTesting@accessliving.org.
Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS)
We connect people with disabilities to services and supports that allow them to live independently in their own homes and communities, including a registry of personal assistants (PAs), and as a delegate agency of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
Home Modifications
Access Living helped pass a state bill that created a statewide modification program to improve the accessibility of the homes of Illinois’s residents. As a result, now Access Living can help disabled people with:
- Assessments in the home to properly determine access needs
- Submitting an application to funder for review and approval
- Meeting with contractors at the home to make sure work is being done properly
- Final walk-through to verify work is completed
- Support service referrals to consumers to assist them with living independently
