A rent increase can change what an older adult buys at the grocery store, whether they refill a prescription, and how long they can afford to stay in the neighborhood they know. When you live on a fixed income, there’s only so much you can cut from a budget before the rent itself becomes the bill you can’t cover.
This week of Homelessness Awareness Month, we’re focusing on senior homelessness and the role affordable housing plays in preventing it. Everyone deserves to age with dignity and stability in a home they can afford.
When housing becomes uncertain
Losing a home can disrupt the routines people rely on to manage their health. For an older adult living with a chronic condition or limited mobility, it can become harder to take medications on schedule, get to appointments, or find a place to rest after an illness. It can also mean moving away from neighbors who check in or from a bus route they depend on.
At The Kitchen, Inc., we meet older adults at different points in that experience. At our Emergency Shelter, guests can work with a case manager to plan for their next home. Through our Community Housing programs and Home At Last veteran services, our teams help people search for housing, work with landlords, and address challenges that could put their future housing at risk.
What it means to have a home you can stay in
The Kitchen, Inc. has developed nearly 300 affordable homes, with more than half designated for adults ages 55 and older. This year, 112 older adult participants now call one of our 55+ affordable housing developments home.
At Maplewood Villas, McClernon Villas, and our other affordable housing developments, you’ll find neighbors playing cards, sharing a meal at a potluck, or getting together for bingo. Those ordinary moments are part of what makes it possible to feel at home in a place. Over time, a neighbor you recognize from the community room can become a friend you look forward to seeing each week.
Having an affordable home gives those relationships time to grow. It also means you can plan for the months ahead with more confidence about where you’ll be living.
The stability we all deserve
As we talk about homelessness in our community this November, it’s worth asking what it takes to help someone keep their home in the first place. For an older adult, affordable housing can mean keeping the doctor they trust, the neighbors they know, and the daily routines they’ve built over the years. Everyone deserves the chance to grow older with that kind of stability.
