02/12/2020

LeadingAge Ohio Members Awarded New Affordable Senior Housing Funding

Following years of advocacy efforts at the national level to renew funding for Section 202 Housing for the Elderly, LeadingAge and LeadingAge Ohio are pleased to share exciting news from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). For the first time in nearly a decade, HUD is awarding money to providers of 202 Housing for the Elderly Homes, with a new investment of $51 million. Of the 18 recipients nationwide, three are projects operated by LeadingAge Ohio members.

Recipients from LeadingAge Ohio include Columbus-based National Church Residences and The McGregor Foundation in East Cleveland. National Church Residences, the nation’s largest not-for-profit provider of affordable senior housing and services, will receive $4,971,176 to build 76 new homes for seniors, while The McGregor Foundation, which supports The McGregor Home’s mission of supporting seniors in need and those who serve them, will receive $3,461,280 to build 80 new homes for seniors. National Church Residences was also awarded funding for a senior housing development in Georgia.

“These awards will provide a tremendous boost to our members who continue to serve thousands of older adults with dignity and respect each day,” said Kathryn Brod, President/CEO of LeadingAge Ohio. “At a time where the demand for affordable housing is skyrocketing and more than half of middle income seniors won’t have the resources to pay for housing and care, it is exciting to see renewed investment in programs that can support the rapidly growing population of older adults in Ohio.”

The need for affordable housing among older adults is significant and expanding. Since its founding in 1959, the 202 program has provided valuable support for older adults who are priced out of housing markets nationwide, but new funding has not been allocated to the program since 2011. During a presentation on Thursday, January 30 to the Ohio House Aging and Long-Term Care Committee, LeadingAge Ohio’s Kathryn Brod and Susan Wallace joined Miami University’s Dr. Bob Applebaum to outline many of the challenges Ohio seniors and caregivers face as they age into retirement, including the increasing portion of older adults’ income dedicated to housing and housing-related expenses.

This $51 million is the first portion of $251 million Congress has provided for new Section 202 homes since the program was revived in 2017. LeadingAge Ohio looks forward to HUD expeditiously completing subsequent rounds of 202 funding to meet pressing housing needs.

“These awards remind us of what’s possible when precious federal funds align with real community needs,” said Linda Couch, Vice President of Housing Policy at LeadingAge, LeadingAge Ohio’s national affiliate. “As we celebrate this victory, we will keep in mind that wait lists are long and our fight is far from over. LeadingAge will keep advocating to expand the nation’s affordable housing supply until every older adult has a quality place to call home.”