July 13, 2023 Washington, DC — Statement from Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, including affordable housing for low-income older adults, on the House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) actions during the July 12 markup of funding proposals for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Fiscal Year 2024: 

“It is impossible to overstate the devastation to millions of older adults that would result if the House subcommittee’s proposal is enacted in full–or even in part. The markup reduces HUD’s overall budget by 25% over the current fiscal year and includes a massive 15% cut to the agency’s flagship initiative for low-income older adults, the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program. This action demonstrates lawmakers’ tremendous disregard for low-income seniors across the country who rely on federally assisted housing and a serious lack of foresight about this country’s future housing needs. Cuts of this magnitude to programs that, at existing funding levels, meet only a small portion of demand, will leave too many older adults without homes, and also without the valuable help provided by service coordinators working at many 202 communities. Single adults over 50 now make up half of the homeless population; experts project that if no actions are taken in the next 15 years, an additional 2.4 million seniors in the United States will have no access to affordable housing.”

For more details on the markup, read this post: House Subcommittee Advances “Unthinkable” HUD Funding Bill; this post, 15% Cut to HUD Section 202 Program in House Bill explains THUD’s activity prior to markup.To follow FY2024 HUD funding developments, see this serial post.