Disability Housing Options

Housing is one of the most complex and least-discussed aspects of disability life planning — and one of the most consequential. Housing decisions affect Medicaid eligibility, SSI payment amounts, waiver service options, and long-term quality of life.

Options for adults with disabilities vary widely and may include:

Family home with supports — the individual remains in the family home with in-home waiver services
Supported living — the individual lives in their own home or apartment with varying levels of support
Group homes and community residential settings — licensed residential programs with 24-hour support staffing
Host home / shared living — the individual lives with a trained caregiver family, often funded through waiver programs
Microboarding — a person-centered model in which a small, dedicated group of people create a nonprofit to support one individual’s housing and life goals

Each option has different implications for benefits, funding, and quality of life. Leahy Life Plan helps families understand the landscape of housing options, how each interacts with state and federal benefits, and how to begin planning for housing transitions before a crisis forces the decision.

Microboarding — a person-centered housing and support model — originated in Canada in the 1990s and has been gaining traction in the U.S. disability community as an alternative to traditional group home settings. It gives individuals with disabilities significantly more control over who supports them and how they live.