In a February 29 fact sheet released by the White House, the Biden-Harris Administration announced several key actions to boost the supply of affordable housing, including housing for older adults with low incomes.

The fact sheet describes an “all-of-government approach to build more housing and lower housing costs.” Among other housing production efforts highlighted by the White House, the fact sheet calls out the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recent announcement of funding for new Section 202 homes.

• Providing new funding to support housing for low-income seniors. HUD announced the availability of $115 million in grant funding to support the development preservation of supportive housing for an estimated 1,100 units for low-income seniors through the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program. Of these funds, $35 million will be set aside to create intergenerational housing units with features to meet the needs of households headed by seniors who are raising children under 18 years old.

In addition, the fact sheet highlights the following HUD actions:

• Clarifying banned non-rent fees in HUD-assisted properties. HUD is releasing new resources clarifying HUD policies and laws that prohibit certain non-rent fees in its Multifamily, Public Housing, and Housing Choice Vouchers/Project Based Vouchers. These new resources make clear that certain fees—such as application and screening fees in Public Housing and Multifamily subsidized programs—are prohibited, and help ensure that tenants are not charged or penalized for impermissible fees.
• Providing new resources to prevent unfair and preventable evictions. HUD is publishing a fact sheet highlighting situations in which housing providers may not evict or threaten to evict someone.
• Promoting prospective renters’ rights during tenant screening process. The Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Justice, and HUD will soon jointly publish a fact sheet describing the rights prospective renters have when screened by housing providers.

LeadingAge applauds the emphasis on affordable housing for older adults, and we will continue to work with the White House and other policymakers to improve housing affordability for older adults.