Because older adults with existing health conditions are more susceptible to the effects of infectious diseases, the threat of an outbreak may cause heightened concern in senior housing communities. Fortunately, affordable housing providers can take the following simple steps to prepare for emergencies.
We know that flu-like viruses are disproportionately risky for older adults, and the coronavirus is no exception. Because older adults with housing instability are especially vulnerable, preparedness is critical at this stage. Here are some tips for LeadingAge affordable housing members to help prepare communities, residents, and staff.
A Washington Post article today highlighted, in Italy, what we know as providers to be inherently true everywhere: this virus, like other flulike viruses, is “disproportionately risky for the old[er adult].” Countries now battling the Coronavirus are scrambling to find ways to protect their most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly; o
On February 10, the President delivered his fiscal year 2021 (FY21) budget request to Congress. The annual delivery of the Administration’s request for program funding is the start of the process for Congress to determine funding levels for federal programs.
Overall: HUD Seeks 15% Cut
The headlines are clear: The Administration’s overall request for HUD in FY21 is terrible. HUD is seeking a 15% cut to its own agency. The request seeks to eliminate the HOME and CDBG program, the national Housing Trust Fund, basically eliminate public housing as we know it today, cut homeless assistance grants, and appears to not provide enough funding for voucher renewals in FY21. These are all programs that serve older adults and are all proposals LeadingAge strongly opposes.
Contact: Lisa Sanders
lsanders@leadingage.org / 202-508-9407
On February 7, HUD announced $51.5 million in awards to 18 organizations to build and operate affordable housing for very low income older adults. LeadingAge is thrilled to share that HUD has awarded 11 LeadingAge members a total of $32.8 million of funding for Section 202 Housing for the Elderly. LeadingAge has been tirelessly advocating for new Section 202 funding, and our efforts are paying off.
A new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, America’s Rental Housing 2020, details the current rental market and its severe affordability challenges.
The Trump Administration is working to change “affirmatively furthering fair housing” (AFFH) requirements that help enforce the Fair Housing Act, change the way 85% of the banks covered by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) meet CRA standards to invest in low and moderate-income communities, and make the path to citizenship for immigrants using certain public benefits more difficult.
LeadingAge is concerned that the changes will weaken communities’ obligations to fair housing, lessen resources for affordable housing, and discourage older adults from receiving needed assistance.
On January 14, HUD published a proposed rule that would replace a key Fair Housing Act enforcement tool to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH) with a weaker version of the one developed in 2015 by the Obama Administration.
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