People with disabilities face a greater challenge when it comes to finding appropriate housing. For years in Mercer County, individuals with disabilities, mainly physical ones, were often ignored, said Cheryl O'Connell, co-director of the county Disabilities Coalition.

Adequate jobs and housing didn't exist for many handi-capped people, leaving them jobless and living with their parents, who often were elderly with cares of their own. But the employment and housing situation has come a long way since then, Ms. O'Connell said.

Disabled people who normally had trouble finding jobs -- or worse yet, no choice beyond placement in a nursing home -- can get adequate public housing or a home specialized to meet their needs, she said.

Mercer County Housing Authority offered a home-ownership workshop Wednesday to help the physically disabled get on the right track to finding a job and buying a home.