Image by NC Orchid licensed under Creative Commons.

As a woman living in the Washington area, I know all about the tight housing market. But because I’m physically disabled, I’m frustrated by more than just high prices. Despite being pre-approved to buy, it’s extremely hard to find an accessible place to live.

Six years ago, my reality changed forever. My husband and I were the victims of a natural gas explosion in our Rockville rental home. The explosion ripped through the house, ejected us from the second story of the home and we landed in the backyard. It caused my complete T8 spinal cord injury and resulted in my paralysis.

Before the explosion, my husband and I lived in Atlanta. As first time homebuyers, we were so excited to be able to purchase a newly constructed beautiful split level home on a half acre of land. We moved to the Washington region when I got a new job, and were pre-approved to buy a place of our own here.

After, though, I spent the next few years in and out of several hospitals dealing with the massive trauma of the accident. While I was in the second hospital, my husband moved us into an apartment. We liked it, but our intention was never to stay long. We wanted the independence and economic empowerment of homeownership again.

To find a home, I started with the same process that I used when we found our house in Atlanta. We were pre-approved and found a realtor and then began scoping out neighborhoods. But I quickly learned I was unprepared for the challenges of the home buying process as a person with a physical disability.

Here are some of the unique challenges of buying a place when you're disabled

The process I used to search for a home as an “able-bodied” person was very different from what I do as someone physically disabled. Now, as I scan the listings on various home websites I have a whole new set of questions.

Was the home built before 1960? If it was, then it’s almost a guarantee I will not be able to get into any of the doors and the hallways will be too narrow for my wheelchair. Since the DC area is an older region, the age limitation of the home drastically narrows my options. Next, I look at the steps. Are there any steps to get into the home? Unfortunately, I have yet to find a home without some type of step to get into the property.

I have also realized that I have to accept I will not be able to see all of a property. It’s just not possible. I cannot see the unfinished basement with its narrow steps or view the deck through the slim opening of the sliding glass door. I have a similar challenge if I want to see a second-floor master bedroom. Since many homes in this area are multi-level, it’s more likely than not the master bedroom will not be on the main floor. As a temporary solution, my husband takes a video of any inaccessible areas so I have an idea.

Then there is the kitchen, which we know is the heart of a home. As I search for a home, I have to ask myself, will I be able to access anything in the kitchen, or even cook for myself? And, is the home built on a slope? I recently saw a property I absolutely loved in Silver Spring, but the home was on a hill and I knew that as a person who uses a manual wheelchair, I could not live there safely.

Questions potential buyers who are physically disabled need to ask

One of the key questions a potential buyer who is physically disabled has to ask themselves is, are they really ready? It sounds basic, but it is necessary. Yes, this is the same question that able-bodied potential homeowners must ask, but it has different implications if you are physically disabled.

Can you handle the stress of homeownership? Are you ready to deal with faulty electrical systems, basements flooding, or clogged drains? Can you add that to your already complicated health? Of course, another key question for buyers with physical disabilities is the money question. Do you have the savings and money to handle unexpected expenses?

Having a physical disability is a constant cost – can you afford additional expenses? According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the annual cost of paralysis is an estimated $70,000 a year. These estimates do not include any indirect costs such as losses in wages, fringe benefits, and productivity.

Financing and policies

There are some programs to help purchase a home if you have a disability. In the Washington region, only Maryland has a state-based program designed to help persons with disabilities achieve homeownership. I was happy to learn more about the state of Maryland’s program for low-income persons with disabilities.

Also, HUD offers a Homeownership Voucher Program that can make owning a home more affordable. Eligible applicants must meet certain income or disability requirements, be first-time homeowners or cooperative members, and agree to attend homeownership counseling sessions as prescribed by the local public housing authority, or PHA.

If you are a disabled veteran there are several programs available, including the Specially Adapted Housing Grants (SAH) and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) Grants. There's also the nonprofit organization Homes for Our Troops. Also, Federal Housing Administration programs are designed to make homes affordable for everyone, and the FHA provides loans that can be used to help with renovations of properties of which accessible modifications includes.

Unfortunately, like many things, these programs are not really designed for the middle class physically disabled person. Most of these programs have income limitations and are designed for the very poor or are conventional loan programs which require a 20% down payment.

There are also policies in place to help address the modifications that you need to make once you do buy a home. The good news is that if a home or rental unit is not accessible, people with disabilities have the right to ask for reasonable structural modifications that will help them achieve full access and enjoyment of the property. Unfortunately, these changes are made at the expense of the buyer. You can ask a seller, but they do not have to pay for it.​​​​​​

What’s next?

Every day I discover something new about life as a physically disabled woman and with these discoveries I also learn how to handle the multiple daily obstacles that I face. I’m trying to view house hunting as just another obstacle. But just as I have survived countless surgeries and hospitalizations, I will conquer this as well. I cannot wait to “roll” into my new home because it will truly be a dream come true.

Tamara Maze Gallman is the Executive Director of Disability Partnerships, a of 501c3 nonprofit. The mission of Disability Partnerships is to improve the quality of life for persons with physical disabilities. Tamara is survivor who is trying to turn her suffering into service. Her goal in life is to do everything she can for as many people as she can for as long as she can. She lives in Rockville.