While the overall number of very low income renters with worst case needs increased by a statistically insignificant 0.6% between 2017 and 2019, the number of older adult very low income renter households with worst case needs exploded, increasing by 16%, according to a biannual HUD report to Congress released today. Over the 10-year period 2009 – 2019, worst case needs among older adult very low income renter households increased by 68%, from 1.328 million households to 2.241 million households, the only household type to such dramatic gains.

Households with “worst case needs” pay more than half of their incomes for rent, live in severely inadequate housing (homes having one or more serious physical problems related to heating, plumbing, and electrical systems or maintenance), or both. The vast majority of worst case needs households (97.5%) had severe rent burdens, or a combination of severe rent burden and severely inadequate housing; 2.5% of the nation’s 7.77 million worst case needs households (who are also defined as being very low income with incomes below 50% of area median) solely suffer from severely inadequate housing conditions.   

LeadingAge will continue to use these and other data to make the case to expand the supply of affordable senior housing. In particular, HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program precisely meets the needs of older adults referenced in this report. The Section 202 program serves households with very low income, defined as income at or below 50% of area median income. More Section 202 housing will alleviate the nation’s worst case housing needs among older adults while also connecting them with the services they need to age in community.

LeadingAge would also like to acknowledge the change in HUD’s language in this report. In previous versions of his biannual report, HUD referred to “elderly” households. This 2021 report uses the term “older adult,” joining LeadingAge in our march against ageism.

View the full report here.