New assistance for persons with disability

The Housing Authority has announced new initiatives that will offer assistance to persons with disability.

The first is a grant of Lm41,000 to the supported living division that will be used for project Vajrita in Marsascala. Residence Vajrita is a sheltered housing project for persons with disability.

The second is a house that will be rented to the supported living division, a new government agency offering community and residential services for the disabled. The house is in Cospicua and has a commercial value of Lm40,000. It is intended to be used by persons with a serious disability.

Addressing a news conference together with Housing Authority chairman Marisa Micallef Leyson, Social Policy Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this year was dedicated to persons with disability and it was therefore befitting that the Housing Authority had engaged itself in positive action in favour of persons with disability.

Dr Gonzi said the Housing Authority had decided to remove any kind of means-testing from its schemes in order to facilitate access to these services for persons with disability.

"This effectively means that the government is launching universality for persons with disability in the housing sector and from now on every person with a disability can benefit from the Housing Authority schemes. This was a bold and courageous initiative by the government," Dr Gonzi said.

Ms Micallef Leyson said the idea behind the direct assistance to the supported living division followed from the Housing Authority's commitment to help organisations that provide or intend to provide a housing service to their clients.

"It can sometimes be difficult for us to reach many people who do not have only housing problems but many other kinds of problems. In this way we will be offering our housing service and the organisation provides its expertise. It's a hand-in-hand approach."

Ms Micallef Leyson said that although there was already an existing scheme specifically designed for applicants with a disability, offering repair grants, the Housing Authority felt all schemes, including a rent subsidy, should now be open to applicants with a disability without the usual means-testing.

"This was also encouraged by the fact that Housing Authority research indicated that the majority of applicants are genuine cases. About 50 per cent of applicants last year for scheme 7 (disability scheme) were earning less than Lm3,506 and the average income of applicants for this scheme was Lm3,959", Ms Micallef Leyson pointed out.

She mentioned age-related disability where research indicated that persons over 60 were those earning least.