Finding Non-Accessible Housing

Not everyone needs accessible housing. Here is how to find non-accessible housing.

MassAccess can assist you.

Q:  I thought MassAccess only helped people with physical disabilities?

A:  MassAccess can assist persons with hidden or non-physical disabilities as well as people with physical disabilities.

For persons with physical disabilities, MassAccess can provide:

• lists of currently available units which have accessible or adaptable design features or are located on the ground floor or on an elevator floor
• lists of accessible and adaptable units in the community you prefer
• information about accessible design features such as whether the bathroom has a roll-in shower

Ways that MassAccess can provide assistance for both persons with physical or non-physical disabilities:

• lists of affordable housing in any Massachusetts city or town for which you are eligible including phone numbers and up-to-date contact people
• lists of Housing Authorities which administer the Alternative Housing Voucher Program. AHVP specifically targets people with disabilities
• information about the development and neighborhood such as availability of public transportation and how far it is to the supermarket or other amenities, so you can decide if the development makes sense for you before you fill out an application
• information about the non-accessible and accessible housing available at any development or housing authority so you can target your housing search. For example, you can tell if there are any three bedroom units at the development, so you don’t waste your time filling out an inappropriate application.

In addition to the information directly available from the database, the Independent Living Center can help anyone with any disability to:

• decide where to apply for housing
• make out housing applications
• advocate with the housing manager

The ILC can also assist consumers with other aspects of housing search and independent living in the community.

MassAccess is available at all of the ILCs and also is available on line at: http://www.massaccesshousingregistry.org

Find your local Independent Living Center

If you believe you have been discriminated against in your housing search, you may receive assistance from the following agencies

Boston Regional Office of HUD
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr.
Federal Building
10 Causeway Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02222-1092
Phone: 617-994-8200
Toll Free: 800-827-5005 or
TTY: 617-565-5453

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Offices
http://www.mass.gov/mcad/

• Boston Office
  One Ashburton Place
  6th Floor, Room 601
  Boston, MA 02108
  Phone: 617-994-6000 or 617-994-6196 (TTY)
• Springfield Office
  436 Dwight Street
  Second Floor, Room 220
  Springfield, MA 01103
  Phone: 413-739-2145
• Worcester Office
  484 Main St, Room 320
  Worcester, MA 01608
  Phone: 508-453-9630
• New Bedford Office
  800 Purchase Street, Room 501
  New Bedford, MA 02740
  Phone: 508-990-2390

Fact Sheet last updated on: 6/22/2021