The average age of Americans has been steadily increasing as a huge portion of the population is getting older. People are living longer and in many cases, their retirement savings may not be enough to live on so they need to get government subsidies for their housing.
A lot of seniors have chosen to stay in a first-timer home when they retire. This type of rental property is called senior subsidized housing, most often these homes have several residents and will take care that the residents needs are met. The government provides these properties with subsidies and monthly stipends. This is an option for those who are not able to live in a retirement community or independent living facility.
The state of California has the largest number of these subsidized housing facilities in the U.S. Some Bay Area cities such as San Francisco, Emeryville, Los Angeles and Fremont have several of these facilities that are distributed amongst these cities. For example, in San Francisco there are approximately 45% more of these facilities than the state average. Benicia, Greenfield, Santa Rosa and Vallejo have a little less than 10% more of these facilities than the average.
It is estimated that there are approximately 60,000 senior citizens in California who do try to find senior subsidized housing. According to a study done on the Bureau of Labor Statistics this will increase by 2025 by over 20%. This statistic is project to have close to 7 million people reaching 65 years or older.
The government provides these senior subsidized apartments and homes with Section 202 and Section 8 funding from HUD. With Section 202 the tenants are usually on a low income and the majority of their rent is paid for by the government. With Section 8, most of the tenants are on a normal income level but they could qualify for an extra amount of money in their monthly payment because they are over 62 years old. The government subsidizes the housing and takes care of the utilities, so that the tenants can focus on other things.
A large number of seniors rent these homes because they will get more affordable housing and more attention. Whether it is help with cleaning, getting a part-time job nearby or home maintenance, if they need help with these things a property manager will come in and assist the residents. These managers are on call 24/7 in case there are any emergencies at night or during off hours as well.
Most senior subsidized housing is concentrated in Bay Area and Los Angeles areas. This is because those cities have a lot of seniors who have low incomes or the ones who don’t want to be in a retirement community. Senior subsidized housing also adds diversity to the city’s neighborhoods.
Another reason people choose to live in these homes is that they are far away from their families and like being by themselves. This type of living offers independence for the seniors and many can afford it with their government subsidies. The seniors who live in these homes usually enjoy these homes and some take advantage of being around other people.
There are just as many disadvantages to these types of apartments as there are also advantages. The biggest disadvantage is that they don’t have as much privacy because they have an “on call” staff 24/7. They also lack a lot of the residents day to day privacy. Another disadvantage is that there isn’t a pool and or gym. Some seniors don’t like the idea of having other people around them all the time. Another disadvantage is that some don’t have their own parking space, so they have to solve this by paying for extra parking or not having one at all.
Seniors who are looking for a home on a low budget should consider this as an option as well because living in a senior subsidized apartment will save them money and time. The seniors will be able to save their money and have time to focus on other things such as volunteering.
Possible solutions for low income housing are:
Seniors who want to rent a subsidized home should make sure that they visit the place and see how it feels. If there is anxiety, you should not rent the room. Some seniors do not like being around people all the time, so this may be a problem for them if they are used to living in their own homes by themselves.
In conclusion, if you are a senior and need to relocate, consider renting a senior subsidized home. These homes offer seniors with very low incomes a place to call their own. You can get help with your expenses in this type of housing through Section 8 or 202 payments provided by the government. Make sure that you choose the right type of housing that meets your needs because some of these locations don’t have amenities like pools, exercise rooms, etc.