Housing assistance to persons with disability

A total of 101 persons/households were assisted in the last financial year through a Housing Authority scheme for the disabled, representing a total of Lm117, 251.

The Housing Authority assisted a number of families experiencing disability through its various schemes and sale issues.

The authority runs a purposely-designed scheme, scheme seven, to adapt homes to suit individual disability. This may include stair lifts, adaptation to a bathroom, adaptation of electrical switches, water taps and handrails.

A number of persons with disability also purchased a property from the authority during the last year. There were 35 persons/families who bought a housing unit, thereby accounting for some 10 per cent of all purchased units during the financial year.

The Housing Authority is also assisting persons with disability via its lift scheme. Lifts are being installed in government blocks where one or more people with disability are living. During the last financial year the Housing Authority installed nine lifts in such blocks. This means that about 50 households now benefit from these lifts.

Housing Authority chairman Marisa Micallef Leyson said the measure would benefit not only those who have some disability now but all elderly people and those who may become disabled in the future.

Scheme No. of persons/households
benefited
Scheme 7 - Disability Assistance 101
Sale Issue No. 67 20
Sale Issue No. 68 15
Scheme V - Lift Installation 9 [Persons with disability]
50 [approx. other
households in same blocks]
TOTAL 195