May 15, 2020 Washington DC – From Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, including Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-assisted housing for older adults living on low incomes, nursing homes, assisted living, home health care, senior living communities, and more:

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, LeadingAge has called on federal officials to support the too-often-forgotten 1.6 million older adults who live in affordable senior housing and the providers serving them.

Yesterday, Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA-45) and Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) introduced a new bill to support senior housing residents and providers during the COVID-19 crisis. The bill would bring $1.2 billion dollars of relief to affordable housing communities and residents nationwide.

While federal guidance has helped nursing homes, hospitals, and other health facilities serving older adults, HUD-assisted communities have yet to receive the level of relief and resources necessary. We’re hopeful that this new bill will change that.

The bill, titled the “Emergency Housing Assistance for Older Adults Act of 2020,” incorporates key LeadingAge requests for relief:

• Funding for internet capacity in senior housing communities
• Expansion of service coordination in senior housing
• General operating and subsidy funds for HUD Section 202
• An extension of HUD’s Integrated Wellness in Supportive Housing (IWISH) demonstration program.

We applaud Representative Porter and Chairwoman Waters for their leadership on behalf of older adults. LeadingAge strongly supports the bill and will continue to work with the Senate to introduce companion legislation. More information about the bill is available here.”

We represent more than 5,000 aging-focused organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we address critical issues by blending applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building. We bring together the most inventive minds in our field to support older adults as they age