@the horizon

Community Developments - May 20, 2013

A daily roundup of news affecting housing and  communities

By Allison Charette

 

• According to the Washington Post, the relief to troubled homeowners promised in nearly 30 settlements between the government and banks has yet to be felt. Less than half of the $5.7 billion owed has been paid, and some checks that were sent bounced. Banks claim that scale and complexity of settlements, as well as the time necessary to identify who should receive payment, prevent them from issuing the money more quickly. In the meantime, those who were harmed by improper banking industry practices continue to wait for compensation. (Washington Post, May 19)


• Last week, the Urban Institute released an evaluation of the HUD – DOT – EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities, which seeks to foster interagency coordination to move toward more sustainable housing and transportation options. The report found that the partnership has contributed to breaking down the barriers of collaboration that exist between federal agencies both at the federal and local levels. (Urban Institute, May 17)


• Renters are having a more difficult time finding and affording housing than homebuyers since the end of the recent recession. A study by the Center for Housing Policy has found that between 2008 and 2011, the cost for renting has increased by 6 percent while incomes have fallen 3.2 percent. In 2011, 26 percent of renters spent more than 50 percent of their incomes on rent. (Businessweek, May 17)


• A study by the AARP Public Policy Institute has found that housing affordability has not improved, contrary to the findings of a recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) study. AARP’s study defined home purchasing in terms of ongoing affordability as well as changing incomes, taxes, and fees with a focus on homeowners over the age of 50. Many older adults are having a more difficult time affording a house today than 12 years ago. (AARP, May 16)


• In an effort to reduce administrative costs, HUD will close its offices for the first of seven days this Friday May 24. Unless the sequester cuts are reversed, HUD offices across the US will shut down six more days this fiscal year. (Housing Wire, May 17)

 

For the latest housing and community development news and notes, follow the Enterprise policy team on Twitter: @E_Housing Policy and subscribe to the Capitol Express Newsletter. 

Field Notes: Manufactured Homes - An Option for Seniors?

 

The current Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellows share their ideas, inspirations and photos from the field on our blog. Learn more about the Fellowship.

By Sam Beall, Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow

 

 

If you read the following article, you might be convinced that the only thing we need to do for American baby boomers is build more mobile home parks. The polemical title says it all, ‘How the Trailer Park Could Save Us All.’ According to the author:

THE U.S. HAS AN impressive crowd of people working to provide affordable housing through infrastructure bonds, HUD loans, and IRS tax credits. Ironically, a lot of effort and money are put into federally-funded programs that have created a few hundred thousand units, while manufactured homes provide housing to almost three million seniors.

For the record, my organization has built many affordable homes through HUD and tax credits. We also help manage an age-restricted, owner occupied manufactured home park. It’s easy to poke holes in our nation’s low income housing policy, it’s often inefficient. Manufactured homes have their difficulties as well; maintaining infrastructure can be a significant hidden cost. 

I concur that our society should reassess its view of manufactured housing (a better descriptor than ‘trailer park’). The benefits of growing old within a community as diverse as Pismo Dunes are significant. I love the stories of residents caring for each other; a caring neighbor is better than any government subsidy.

That said, shifting our opinions and entertaining the notion that a mobile home park is a graceful place to grow old is not enough. Accessibility is critical – and we can’t all retire to the balmy climate of California. 

Leaving aside the advantages of a year round climate, we might be able to do a better job providing accessibility to mobile homes. Take this ramp for example:

 

 

Geoffrey Barton, my fellowship colleague, alerted me to the process by which his organization builds ramps for residents in need. Mountain Housing Opportunities organizes volunteers to build wood ramps to a robust specification. This is a great and needed program, typically responding to a mobility crisis. Another option is a temporary ramp which can be taken away when no longer needed.

Ramps are great, but they have a life span. In wintry Vermont they need to be shoveled. Is there a better way?

The typical mobile home is accessed via a short stair. The finish floor height is about 3’ above grade – the foundation system is hidden with skirting. HUD has a great synopsis of different foundation systems.

 

 

In the event that the resident suffered a stroke, and became wheelchair bound, they would need a ramp. Ramps take up a lot of space. In this scenario one would need two ramp runs, 36’ total length. They would need to travel  12’ horizontally for each 1’ vertical with 42” tall guardrails. Something not unlike this ramp:

 

 

While this configuration can works for most residents, it’s worth thinking about how we might build a foundation that allows for better, more permanent accessibility.

 

 

In this scenario, the home is elevated only 16” above grade. Code allows for the sill plate to be installed a minimum of 6” above grade – this scenario barely meets that requirement. Pushing the envelope with that elevation allows us to build a modest deck with a very gradual asphalt ramp.

If you’re fortunate to live long enough, you will lose the ability to climb stairs. It’s irresponsible to not consider this fact when you’re building housing. It’s relatively easy to design accessible multifamily housing – more difficult when each home has its own entrance. There’s a lot to love about mobile homes; they don’t deserve the disdain with which they’re treated in some circles. Let’s not pretend though that there aren’t obstacles. Providing a safe, healthy, accessible home is a challenge, whether you’re using mobile homes or HUD financing.

Special thanks to Geoffrey Barton at Mountain Housing Opportunities and Katherine Miller at NeighborWorks for their assistance.

 

Community Developments - May 2, 2013

A daily roundup of news affecting housing and  communities

By Allison Charette

 

• In a working paper released yesterday, the CBO found that mortgage principal forgiveness to certain distressed borrowers would result in slightly reduced mortgage foreclosure and delinquency rates, small savings to the government, and a slight economic boost. The paper examined three possible program options – all of which would be available to those eligible to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). For a program to have a larger impact on foreclosure rates or government savings, its design would have to sharply deviate from that of HAMP. (CBO, May 1)


• HUD and the Department of Justice have released new guidance ensuring that newly constructed multifamily housing is accessible to individuals with disabilities under the Fair Housing Act. As enforcers of this law, HUD and the DOJ have investigated over 400 cases combined of alleged violations of design and construction. (HUD, April 30)


• A new report published by Pew Charitable Trusts closely investigates the use of the mortgage interest deduction across the US. It finds the tax deduction is most commonly used by those living in higher-income communities particularly around metropolitan areas in East Coast and Western states. (Wall Street Journal, April 30)


• Over 67 percent of seniors today are expecting to carry mortgage debt with them into retirement, according to a survey study by Securian Financial Group in St. Paul, Minnesota. Currently half of all retirees are in debt, and 38 percent owe more than $50,000. (DS news, April 30)


• According to a New York Times op-ed, the education gaps between wealthy, middle class, and low-income students are expanding. In the 1980s race was the greatest predictor of educational success – today it is family income level. Author Sean Reardon explores potential causes of these growing differences. (New York Times, April 27)

 

For the latest housing and community development news and notes, follow the Enterprise policy team on Twitter: @E_Housing Policy and subscribe to the Capitol Express Newsletter. 

Policy Innovation Series: How Can We Best Preserve Affordable Housing Options for an Aging Population?

By Jeanie Shattuck

@E_HousingPolicy

The demographic trends are clear. The number of older Americans grows more rapidly every year, and the elderly population is expected to double from 36 million in 2010 to over 72 million by 2030. Research has shown that housing stability is a critical piece in maintaining health and general well-being. However, housing options that meet the needs of seniors can be limited, and many seniors are living on a fixed income. Increasingly, individuals are voicing their desire to age in place in their familiar homes and communities. To meet the challenge of providing healthy, accessible housing solutions for an aging population, we must prioritize setting up systems that enable people to live affordably, access needed services, and remain engaged with their communities. These efforts will benefit everyone in the long run and result in higher quality of life, reduced health care costs, and a greater ability to maintain dignity and choice. One such effort is meet this challenge is the creation of Senior Preservation Rental Assistance Contracts (SPRACs).

Over the years, the HUD Section 202 Housing for the Elderly Program has provided affordable housing options for aging adults across the country. Many of these apartments have set rents that are affordable—meaning residents are spending 30 percent or less of their income on housing costs—which is crucial for those on fixed budgets. Unfortunately, there are a significant number of Section 202 properties that were built in the 1970s or earlier that are unable to keep up with the needs of an aging population because they have not been substantially rehabilitated or refinanced in decades. There are often backlogged capital repairs needed, and retrofitting or modernization could improve mobility, access, and health, as well as reduce utility costs.

However, there is a legitimate fear that if owners take on debt to make these repairs and improvements, existing residents will face prohibitively higher rents, effectively forcing them out of their apartments. Thankfully, as a result of recent changes in the Section 202 program, HUD is able to take steps to mitigate this risk.

In December 2010, Congress passed the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act, which provided much-needed reforms and updates to the program. The legislation included the authorization of SPRACs, which are specifically intended to preserve affordability and protect elderly residents from displacement due to refinancing or rehabilitation through this new project-based voucher.

HUD identified over 18,000 unassisted Section 202 units across over 200 properties that are eligible for SPRACs. The units are all in buildings built before 1974 with original interest rates below 6 percent. The property cannot have any red flags—it must have a satisfactory inspection score, with no major health or safety issues, and without any fair housing or discrimination violations. Assistance contract terms are 20 years, providing a sense of much-needed security and consistency for units that are awarded SPRACs.

These rental assistance contracts are a viable solution to an increasingly relevant problem. The ability to obtain SPRACs should allow and encourage the owners of older Section 202 properties to recapitalize or rehabilitate buildings, while safeguarding the existing elderly tenants. However, the SPRACs are still subject to annual appropriations, which could put the program in jeopardy in the future.

In fiscal year 2012, $16 million was set-aside for SPRAC funding, but the program has not yet been implemented. In January 2013, HUD released a proposed application and award process, which garnered a robust response from many industry groups, including a joint response from Enterprise, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), Leading Age, and other partners. The letter addressed the proposed awards process and eligibility rules, and highlighted concerns regarding the program’s reliance on the already-competitive 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, sponsor capacity, and requirements related to property conditions and vacancy rates.

SPRACs can help preserve affordable housing through direct provision of rental assistance. However, they are only a piece of the puzzle to creating healthy communities for our growing population of senior citizens. Is this program sufficient in meeting its stated goal of protecting elderly residents from displacement as a result of building improvements? What other challenges do Section 202 properties and residents face? What other policies, financial tools and other solutions could we employ beyond rental assistance?

 

Field Notes: Recommended Reading

The current Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellows share their ideas, inspirations and photos from the field on our blog. Learn more about the Fellowship.

By Sam Beall, Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY: A collection of good books I read this year.

Visualizing and Managing Information:

Tufte’s book is a classic, featuring lessons on how to design great displays of information, as well as how not to display information. He illustrates how data visuals can very easily lie - even ascribing an order of magnitude to various untruths. Gawande’s book focuses more on the management of information, and how checklists can curtail mistakes. He illustrates the power of checklists in a wide range of applications, from the operating room to a cockpit.

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande 

 The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte 

 

On Rurality:

Both books provide an excellent framework for understanding the built environment in rural America. As someone who’s lived most of their life in large cities, I find myself often curious about the rural environment. Arendt/Brabec’s book is a helpful primer on the character of small towns and rural areas, providing patterns for use. Though almost 20 years old, it clearly articulates a series of steps to avoid the suburbanization of the American environment. Thorbeck’s book ranges more broadly, focusing on the rural environment as a whole. His book focuses on the landscape of Minnesota, where he practices. Rural Design provides a good framework for understanding the less appreciated cousin of ‘Urban Design.’

Rural by Design: Maintaining Small Town Character by Randall Arendt and Elizabeth A. Brabec

Rural Design: A New Design Discipline by Dewey Thorbeck

 

Health and Architecture:

Both Sternberg and Borasi/Zardini present compelling arguments around the role of health in the built environment. Imperfect Health advances the notion that architectural discourse has veered too far into the realm of medical language, to a place where it begins to make less sense. Theoretical projects illustrate architect’s responses to pollution, allergens and obesity. While some of these projects may go to far, the sad truth is the vast majority of our built environment shows little sensitivity towards human health. The province of architectural theory may be well acquainted with the concepts of health in architecture, but the rest of the world struggles to make that connection. Sternberg does make that connection. A doctor at the National Institutes of Health, she writes very articulately about the links between the hospital environment and the speed with which one heals. She presents multiple studies showing the links between stress (caused by poor design) and health. While housing is a step removed from the hospital environment, many of the lessons learned from this book could be applicable to the design of senior housing. Borasi/Zardini and Sternberg would both agree that “urbanism, landscape design and architecture should take care of their inhabitants, instead of seeking a cure.

Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-being by Esther M. Sternberg

Imperfect Health: The Medicalization of Architecture by Mirko Zardini, Giovanna Borasi and Margaret Campbell 

 

Universal Design and Seniors:

Universal Design is a term used often in the world of senior housing, and not always consistently. The Universal Design handbook is a useful book to have on hand, as it clearly articulates the framework behind universal design. It’s a litte light on the pragmatic application of UD, but useful nonetheless.

Sandra Howell’s book is not new, but it contains some of the more thoughtful analysis of the design of senior housing, much of which is timeless. She diagrams many types of dwelling units, illustrating the different ways they might be furnished. While most books about senior housing glide along the surface of the subject, Howell’s book gets into the messy details.

Designing for Aging: Patterns of Use by Sandra C. Howell 

Universal Design Handbook by Wolfgang F.E. Preiser and Korydon H. Smith 

 

Programming and Post Occupancy Evaluation:

These two books, though not terribly new, have been nevertheless very helpful in articulating the processes of programming and post occupancy evaluation. Both are very important for the analysis of senior housing and have helped me structure my own research.

Post-occupancy Evaluation by Wolfgang F. E. Preiser, Harvey Z. Rabinowitz, and Edward T. White

Programming the Built Environment by Wolfgang F.E. Preiser

 

Field Notes: Sam Beall Answers the Difficult Questions Surrounding Senior Housing

The current Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellows share their ideas, inspirations and photos from the field on our blog. Learn more about the Fellowship.

This week, the International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing (IAHSA) pointed the spotlight on Sam Beall, the Fellowship's own expert on senior housing and Universal Design. Though relatively new to his fellowship, Sam has been a great resource for best practices in senior housing design and its relationship to public health. 

Sam’s quest for the answers to his questions led him to Cathedral Square (CS), an organization with a 30 year history of developing high quality senior housing. Sam brought fresh ideas and capacity to CS, leading to an expanded effort to “embrace the spirit of collaboration”, as he put it.In other words, to first seek the advice of the residents at Cathedral Square.

Together, Sam and the Cathedral Square team are taking the traditional trajectory of design to construction to occupation, and added evaluation methodology to the process.

To read the article, "Embracing the Spirit of Collaboration: From Design to Home," please visit the IAHSA website.

Amy Wright, Director of Development at Cathedral Square, and Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow Sam Beall. Photo by Harry Connolly.

POLICY INNOVATION SERIES: “Grand” Designs for “Grandfamilies”

­By Jeanie Shattuck, Senior Policy Analyst

 

Since October 2011, Enterprise has been engaged with five public housing authorities (PHAs) in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee and New York City to thoroughly investigate barriers to remaining in one’s long-term home or community, also known as “aging in place.”

Given the economic climate in recent years, many of the obstacles we have heard are distressing but unsurprising – seniors experiencing foreclosure or forced early retirement, insufficient funding for service programs and coordination and the ongoing struggle for PHAs to keep up with capital improvements. We have also begun to grapple with unanticipated housing arrangements like the increasing number of “grandfamilies" – where grandparents are the primary caretakers for their grandchildren.

We are working on a number of initiatives to improve the quantity and quality of senior housing, as well as improve the availability and access to services across a spectrum of needs. The concept of grandfamilies, however, requires us to expand our understanding of what services should be included on that spectrum. 

The 2010 U.S. Census reported that nearly eight million children are living with grandparents or other relatives, a number that has increased significantly in the past decade. Further, the Census data show that more than a quarter of grandfamilies live in overcrowded conditions and one in six are severely cost-burdened.

Elderly housing is often unsuitable for children due to size, cost, and age-restrictions, but finding an alternative, affordable housing unit that provides appropriate services and amenities for both youth and elderly is extremely difficult. The needs in these scenarios range extensively – from physical structures like accessible floor plans and bathrooms adapted for persons with disabilities to community-based support for caregivers and children, including tutoring or other after-school activities.

In 1998, Boston was the first city to develop housing dedicated to grandfamilies, and local solutions have been slowly expanding ever since. The stories that have surfaced from developments in New York City, Baton Rouge, Kansas City and others are filled with gratitude and optimism and a “strength-in-numbers” attitude. However, greater awareness of this issue and viable, scalable models are still critically needed. Solutions for rural areas are lagging behind; the majority of grandfamilies are located in urban areas, but the needs and circumstances of rural grandfamilies must also be addressed.

The federal government has provided some encouragement and reinforcements to tackle this issue. The LEGACY Act (Living Equitably: Grandparents Aiding Children & Youth) was passed in 2003 and provided a limited number of grants to develop housing to serve grandfamilies, as well as directives around data capturing and staff training. This program has not been funded again, but research on the demonstration projects will likely help inform future developments.

Many public housing authorities are also working to provide support to this population. Some PHAs have created special tenant-based Section 8 vouchers for grandfamilies, and others have explicitly allowed grandfamilies to use Section 8 Family Unification Program vouchers. Some localities have built new developments, while others are exploring adaptive reuse projects – like Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which rehabilitated and converted a nursing home into grandfamily housing.

This combination of large and small innovations – like the LEGACY ACT or modifications to eligibility requirements for Family Unification vouchers – will go a long way toward building the movement to assist grandfamilies, but we must continue to think creatively and identify best practices in this space. Grandparents caring for grandchildren is a reality in our country, and we should support systems, services and policies that enable non-traditional families to thrive.

Are there other examples of innovative supports for non-traditional families that deserve to be highlighted and/or can be brought to scale?

 

Field Notes: Tricky Business

The current Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellows share their ideas, inspirations and photos from the field on our blog. Learn more about the Fellowship.

By Sam Beall, Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow

I recently travelled to New York for the Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute, an experience that gave me the opportunity to see my fellowship work in the context of other national projects. At the conference I was partnered with Presbyterian Senior Living, a large and successful non-profit based in Pennsylvania. Their project is a tough typology, one that we see across the country. Easton Home’s main building was built in the 1890’s as a large single family residence. In the 1960’s a unattractive convalescent wing was added behind it. PSL has altered the program to provide residents with both personal care and memory care. Residents live in single rooms with shared bathrooms. Long term, this is a losing model; the sense is that SRO type living will no longer be desirable for the next generation.

The parallels with a project I’m working on in southern Vermont are uncanny. Like Easton Home, this project has an 1890’s house (in need of serious capital upgrades) and a 1970’s wing. It is single room occupancy, providing residential care. In both cases, the current configuration serves a small but crucial niche – seniors who need some assistance, but not full nursing home care. Both face the challenge of upgrading old buildings and expanding  to support modern services while maintaining the existing historic structure. 

PSL is a step ahead of the Vermont project, having proposed a new building next to the Easton Home to help bring more services and capital. While this approach works financially, the design left some room for improvement.

Adding to a historic home is always a tricky business. PSL’s approach was to mimic the existing mansard roof, seeking to harmonize the design through replication. While this sounds like a good idea, it does the original building a disservice. By utilizing the same details, it becomes hard to identify what’s old and what’s new. This contradicts the National Park Service’s definition of historic preservation and rehabilitation.

New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

All the experts around the table agreed that a more subtle design, taking cues from the existing structure, but remaining deferential, would be a preferable strategy. This strategy may mean a smaller building, which may or may not work with financing. Game planning these different scenarios is the significant next step.

Read more about the Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute.

Field Notes: Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute Comes to NYC

 

Next week the third Annual Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute (AHDLI) convenes in New York City. The institute brings together leaders on the front line of affordable housing design and development for a two-and-a-half day session focused on innovation and best practices in community design.  Here, Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow Jason Wheeler reflects on last year's Institute.
 

By Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellow Jason Wheeler

Last September, the whole crew of Enterprise Rose Fellows had the opportunity to attend the sophomore session of the Affordable Housing Design Leadership Institute.  Held at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, the institute brought together eight development teams from around the nation to discuss a wide range of projects in various stages of development.

Prior to AHDLI, each of the fellows was grouped with one of the development teams to provide technical assistance throughout the three-day institute (we helped out with the challenging stuff, like taking notes and plugging in flash drives). I had the pleasure of being grouped with Amy Schectman, director of Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly (JCHE).

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things about AHDLI is the uniqueness and diversity of not only the project types, but also the feedback and input from the development and design teams.  Our world of specialization tends to pigeonhole each of us into a fairly narrow range of experience, whether it be me working with single family development in rural America, Wayne working with the foreclosure crisis in Cleveland, or Ms. Schectman working with improving the quality of housing for the elderly in Boston.  AHDLI provides an opportunity for developers and designers to extract themselves for a brief moment from their corner of expertise and participate in a process of “give and take” with other professionals who possess a completely unique perspective on the development process.

Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly came to AHDLI with, in Ms. Schectman’s words, a “problem, rather than a project.”  As her narrative of JCHE’s mission and housing inventory unfolded, it became readily apparent that they were indeed faced with some very interesting challenges.  JCHE has a large number of very small housing units (approximately 300 sf each) in several different developments in their community.  The developments are all aging and in need of rehabilitation.   Meanwhile, current waiting lists ranging from four to five years for their units dictate that any rehab that does occur should not reduce the total unit count.

Complicating the issue is a strong presence of multiple ethnic populations in each of the developments, with residents possessing varying degrees of competency in English.  Finding appropriate design solutions therefore faces the challenge of being culturally sensitive without excluding any one group of residents.  Ms. Schectman came to AHDLI with the hopes of finding insight into how to proceed with a limited redevelopment budget in a way that would provide the most benefit to all of the residents in question.

 

 

The answer came in, perhaps, the most unexpected of forms.  As the discussion from the resource teams evolved, there was a general consensus that the best solution for JCHE was not to be found in “architecture”, or in any other built solution, but rather that a powerful answer could be found by addressing the landscaping and plazas that were interspersed among the built forms.  Ideas for culturally significant planting zones, outdoor educational areas, and ethnic gardens cropped up in abundance, with an aim at bringing community together through native foods and vegetation.

The insights and feedback provided to JCHE at the institute are just a small sample of the depth and breadth of issues addressed by the resource teams.  As other developers presented their projects, Ms. Shectman, in turn, provided valuable input culled from her own areas of expertise.   At the close of AHDLI, observers and participants alike left with an increased vision of the value of good design in affordable housing and renewed focus in helping their own mission-based organizations find success.

The best part?  Next week this will happen all over again with a new set of developers, a new design resource team, and a wealth of new ideas and solutions being taken back to communities all around the nation.

 

Learn more about AHDLI and RSVP to attend the opening night lecture. You can also follow real-time updates next week from the Institute at #AHDLInyc on Twitter.

 

 

Will Congress Abandon Supportive Housing for Poor Seniors?

By Alayna Waldrum

Alayna Waldrum is the Housing Legislative Representative for LeadingAge.
 

The need for supportive, affordable senior housing remains dire, as 3.6 million seniors live below the poverty level, 1.33 million seniors have worst case housing needs and there is an increase in the homeless elderly and near elderly population.

For over 50 years, the HUD Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program has provided supportive housing for very low-income seniors.

Of these residents:

• 92% live in single person households
• 96% rely on Social Security, SSI or a pension as their primary source of income
• 69% are extremely low income

Section 202 has helped seniors live longer, healthier lives as they age at home. With medical advances and healthy habits extending life expectancy and making chronic conditions more manageable, it’s not unusual to find a Section 202 resident who has lived in his or her apartment for 20 years, or several Section 202 building residents who are at least 100 years old.

Despite reaching so many in need, the Senate’s fiscal year (FY) 2012 appropriations bill eliminates the Section 202 capital advance program, which funds the development of new units.

America was already experiencing a net loss of affordable housing  in previous years, with 10 seniors on the waiting list for every 202 unit available. And now, the budget crisis puts low-income seniors in an even more precarious situation. Section 202 is one of many programs that falls under the discretionary side of the federal budget and is especially vulnerable to cuts under the August 2011 budget deal. 

Even as Section 202 stands in jeopardy, there have been major strides in the evolution of supportive housing. Under the Section 202 reform bill, PL 111-372, passed in late 2010, the Service Enriched Housing (SEH) program became eligible for rehabilitation funding under the Section 202 Assisted Living Conversion Program (ALCP).  

While ALCP required licensure of a building or floor of a building in order to provide services to frail seniors, the SEH program makes community-based services, many of which are already licensed by state agencies, widely available. Under SEH housing option:

• Housing providers can access crucial rehabilitation funding for residential units and common space
• Housing providers must partner with community-based providers to bring supportive services directly to residents
• Residents can decide whether to receive services and which ones to receive
• Residents are able them to remain safely in their homes as they age without the disruption of moving to the “next level of care”

Congress seems prepared to abandon its commitment to building affordable senior housing and to serving our most vulnerable seniors. We must stand up and tell our communities, our partners and our elected officials that housing and services for seniors are investments that pay incalculable dividends to our nation’s health, both physically and financially.

Take your stand today, and share your thoughts in the comments.