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Special housing needs are those associated with specific demographic or occupational groups which call for specific program responses, such as preservation of single-room occupancy hotels or the development of units with three or more bedroom. A thorough analysis of special needs helps a locality identify groups with the most serious housing needs in order to develop and prioritize responsive programs. The statute specifically requires analysis of the special housing needs of the elderly, the disabled, female-headed households, large families, farmworkers and homeless persons and families.

Persons with Disabilities

Many individuals with a disability live on a small fixed income, limiting their ability to pay for housing. Individuals with mental, physical, and developmental disabilities need affordable, conveniently-located housing which, where necessary, has been or can be specially adapted to address accessibility issues and with on- or off-site support services including outpatient/inpatient day treatment programs. Learn more.

Elderly

It is critical that individuals have access to housing which suits their varying needs during each stage of their lives. As people age, they often find themselves facing new or additional housing problems. Senior households often have special housing needs related to physical disabilities/limitations, fixed incomes and health care costs. Learn more.

Large Families and Female Headed Households

Due to the limited supply of adequately sized units to accommodate larger households, large families often face significant difficulty in locating adequately-sized, affordable housing. Female-headed households generally have lower-incomes and higher living expenses and may lack the resources needed for adequate child care or job training services, often making the search for affordable, decent and safe housing more difficult. Learn more.

Farmworkers

Farmworkers are traditionally defined as persons whose primary incomes are earned through permanent or seasonal agricultural labor. Farmworkers are generally considered to have special housing needs due to their limited income and the often unstable nature of their employment. In addition, farmworker households tend to have high rates of poverty; live disproportionately in housing which is in the poorest condition; have very high rates of overcrowding; have low homeownership rates; and are predominately members of minority groups. Learn more.

Families and Persons in Need of Emergency Shelters

Homelessness in California is a continuing and growing crisis affecting almost one in every 100 California residents. According to recent census figures, 26 percent of the nation’s homeless individuals and families live in California even though the State is home to only 12 percent of the nation’s total population. Homeless individuals and families are without permanent housing largely due to a lack of affordable housing and often compounded by a lack of job training and supportive services related to mental illness, substance abuse or domestic violence. Learn more.