Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the unhoused population, with adults aged 55 and older making up 20 percent of people experiencing homelessness. Even more troubling, almost 50 percent of them are living unsheltered. And many are experiencing homelessness for the first time, often due to an event such as a health crisis, job loss, or death of a spouse/partner. This reality challenges the notion of championing your health, especially since having a safe, affordable home is a critical factor in an individual’s ability to maintain their health and well-being.
The rising rate of homelessness among older Americans is directly linked to the housing affordability crisis. For example, according to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition’s recent GAP Report, the U.S. faces a shortage of more than 7 million affordable rental homes for extremely low-income households. As a result, many older adult renters spend over half of their income on housing. This severe housing cost burden increases their risk of eviction and likelihood of homelessness. Older adult homeowners are not immune to financial strains. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS), the share of homeowners ages 65 to 79 with a mortgage rose from 24 percent to 41 percent, while median mortgage debt surged by 400 percent. Additionally, another report by JCHS indicate 43 percent of older adult homeowners aged 65 or older with a mortgage were cost burdened in 2023. Rising homeowner insurance, real estate taxes, utility costs, maintenance, and other housing-related fees threaten their housing stability too.
The connection between housing and health is undeniable. Without stable housing, managing chronic health conditions, attending to preventive care, and following treatment plans become increasingly difficult. Older Americans experiencing homelessness face higher rates of illness, disability, social isolation, and mortality. In light of these challenges, championing health must include advocating for more inclusive policies that guarantee all older adults regardless of income or background have access to affordable, accessible housing. Only then can we meaningfully support healthy aging and honor the promise embodied by Older Americans Month. Congress can demonstrate support of older Americans by:
Expanding HUD’s Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program
The Alliance calls on Congress to allocate $1.85 billion to Section 202 and direct HUD to use this increase of $850 million from FY2026 to:
- Expand and modernize the program by providing $600 million in capital advances as primary financing for approximately 2,000 new homes and adjusting operating subsidy to the Section 8 platform:
- Expand the service coordination component of the program to $265 million to renew existing grants and fund at least 100 additional Service Coordinators; and
- Create a $50 million set-aside to serve extremely low-income adults age 55 and older and include language authorizing HUD to waive the statutory age requirement for this population.
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