New analysis, part of a series, links food insecurity, lack of transportation and safe, affordable housing to long-term economic stability for disabled women

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 6, 2023 – Today, the National Partnership for Women & Families released the latest installment in our disability economic justice series, focusing on food insecurity, housing and transportation. The “Systems Transformation Guide to Disability Economic Justice: Food Insecurity, Housing and Transportation,” further illuminates the ways in which systems and institutions have harmed disabled women – particularly disabled women of color – and their loved ones.

The guide’s analysis reveals the links between the oppression of disabled women, and the ways in which these issues are intrinsically linked to exclusionary policy choices. These deliberate choices heavily impact disabled women’s access to food, housing, and transportation. The guide also shows:

• 33 percent of disabled women ages 16-59 live in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, almost triple the percentage (13 percent) of all adults who live in households that receive SNAP benefits.
• Disabled women are also more likely to receive assistance from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with women heading 78% of households served by HUD’s rental assistance programs. 65 percent of disabled people in HUD-assisted households are women.
• An estimated 3.6 million disabled Americans do not leave their homes due to travel limitations.

The analysis not only illustrates the ways in which disabled women are often left behind by the United States’ current infrastructure, but also provides concrete steps that legislators and government agencies can take to improve accessibility and the daily lives of disabled people.

“Our research confirms what consistently has been shown time and time again – that women can thrive when they have access to essential supports that help them with necessities like putting a roof over their heads or food on their tables,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “Truly and effectively advancing diversity and inclusion for all people requires our government leaders to rethink outdated mindsets to ensure that all women, including disabled women, can secure economic stability for themselves and their families.”

The author proposes several policy actions that will support disabled women and calls on Congress, states and federal agencies to make a number of changes, including but not limited to:

• Improvements to outdated and unreasonable requirements for access to programs such as SNAP and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
• Passage of the Fair Housing Improvement Act to prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income.
• Increased funding for transportation programs and better accessibility to public transportation.
• Passage of the Improving Access to Nutrition Act, and more.

“Though it poses a substantial barrier, fair access to affordable food, housing, and transportation are all critical for obtaining and maintaining gainful employment,” said Marissa Ditkowsky, disability policy counsel for economic justice at the National Partnership for Women & Families. “That is just one of the many economic implications to food insecurity, housing insecurity and inaccessible transportation for disabled women, including increased medical bills and additional short-term costs.”

The “Systems Transformation Guide to Disability Economic Justice: Food Insecurity, Housing and Transportation” is the second in a series of reports that aims to center marginalized women and individuals with the knowledge that helping those who are most disenfranchised helps all individuals. The first installment, on the topic of jobs and employment, was released in July 2023.

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