New York City: Preventing and Reducing Homelessness Among Older Adults Grant

The New York Community Trust is seeking innovative proposals to address homelessness among older adults in New York City. With a significant rise in the number of seniors in shelters and many facing housing insecurity, the Trust aims to create effective solutions that facilitate transitions from shelters to permanent affordable housing. The initiative addresses the urgent need for affordable senior housing and aims to improve living conditions for older adults in the city.

Background
The number of single adults aged 65 and older in New York City’s primary shelter system has more than doubled in the last decade1. The City’s dearth of affordable housing options, coupled with challenges maintaining safe, accessible housing on fixed incomes, contribute to this increase in homelessness among older adults. The City’s shelter policies, which often mandate entry into—and prolonged stays in—overcrowded, mixed-age shelters before accessing assistance with permanent housing compound the problem.
Beyond those in shelters, many older New Yorkers face housing insecurity. More than 60 percent of the City’s older adult renters are rent-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their incomes on rent2. The City has a severe shortage of affordable senior housing, with some waitlists exceeding 300,000 individuals and wait times averaging six years3. Finally, the City’s aging housing stock presents accessibility and safety challenges. A significant percentage of older adults report poor housing conditions and difficulty aging in place.
The New York Community Trust (The Trust) seeks proposals for innovative solutions to prevent homelessness among older adults and facilitate successful transitions from the shelter system into permanent affordable housing.