05/27/2026
🚨 Advocacy Post: Emergency Housing Must Work for Families with Disabilities
In Nassau County, families facing homelessness are told to turn to emergency housing for help. But for families with disabilities, that system is often not equipped to meet even the most basic needs.
There is no guaranteed right to shelter here. That means families in crisis can be denied assistance—or placed in temporary housing that is unsafe or inaccessible.
Hotels and shelters used for emergency placements are frequently:
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Unable to support medical equipment
- Overstimulating or unsafe for individuals with developmental or mental health conditions
Families are left to navigate a system that requires documentation, persistence, and constant advocacy—while already in crisis.
And even when accommodations are requested under the ADA, delays are common. Transfers to appropriate housing can take days, weeks, or longer. For a family caring for someone with special needs, that delay can have serious physical and emotional consequences.
This is not just a housing issue. It’s a public health issue. It’s a disability rights issue.
Every family deserves safe, accessible emergency housing—without barriers, without delays, and without having to fight for what should already be guaranteed.
✅ What Needs to Change:
- Increase accessible emergency housing units in Nassau County
- Ensure ADA-compliant placements immediately, not eventually
- Streamline DSS processes for families with documented disabilities
- Expand funding for disability-specific housing support
- Create accountability when accommodations are not met
Families with disabilities should not be left behind in moments of crisis.
Housing is a right—and accessibility is not optional.