Seniors are struggling with housing, experts at AARP and legal services say

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WASHINGTON - A new podcast explores American's desire to "age in place" amidst rising housing instability among seniors and how civil legal services can help.

Rodney Harrell, Vice President of family, home and community in AARP's Public Policy Institute, and Rhonda Cunningham Holmes,Executive Director of Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE), joined Legal Services Corporation (LSC) President Ron Flagg for a new episode of Talk Justice, "Seniors Struggle to 'Age in Place.'"

LCE provides free legal and social work services for people 60 and older living at or near poverty in Washington, D.C., reaching more than 10,000 people annually. Cunningham Holmes explained that LCE was founded by AARP through a federal grant 50 years ago and remains an affiliate of AARP today.

Over 20% of LCE's cases are housing-related, and AARP research confirms that stable housing is among the chief concerns of older Americans. AARP found that 75% of people 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities as they age, though 44% expect to move due to challenges like cost, accessibility and natural disasters.

"We have 10,000 people turning 65 every day," said Harrell. "By the next decade, we'll have more people over 65 than under 18 for the first time in U.S. history - so we're changing as a society, but our housing, our communities, they haven't caught up with our needs as we're aging."

Cunningham Holmes explained that for the seniors LCE serves, many face challenges that are not directly related to their housing at first but create financial strain that can lead to falling behind on rent payments.

"You may have a health-related issue, or you may be financially exploited, and these can lead to you having a housing-related [legal] issue, as well," Cunningham Holmes said.

"Many of our seniors are living on fixed incomes while the cost of housing is rising," she continued. "And then there are health conditions that can lead to a loss of a job."

One of LCE's clients, a 61-year-old bus driver, suffered a stroke and was unable to work. Cunningham Holmes said that the woman was struggling to accept that her housing would need to change as a result of her lost income. Facing the imminent threat of eviction, a social worker and an attorney worked with the client to find a way forward to housing that she could afford and negotiated with her landlord to keep an eviction off her record.

"That matters because when you apply for a new apartment, they look to see if you had problems with paying your rent in the past, and they can then choose to not rent to you based upon that," said Cunningham Holmes.

Landlords themselves reach out to LCE to assist a senior tenant who has fallen behind on rent, Cunningham Holmes explained. She said that landlords understand it is in their best interest to avoid a lengthy eviction process, and they know that legal help can lead to a more beneficial solution for both parties.

Older Americans are in a precarious financial situation, especially when it comes to their housing, Harrell explained.

"Roughly one in three homeowners age 65 and older are considered cost-burdened [and] about half of older renters are - and by that, I mean that they pay more than 30% of their income on housing," said Harrell.

Flagg noted that for many low-income seniors, the alternative to aging in place is not necessarily a nursing home or moving in with a relative - it is homelessness. An estimated 187,000 adults aged 55 and older experience homeless annually.

"That [number] is anticipated to keep rising," said Harrell. "Many of these older adults are especially vulnerable: they're more likely to be veterans, they are more likely to have chronic physical or mental health conditions and need supportive services in addition to housing."

To hear the rest of the conversation, listen to the full episode of Talk Justice online, on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts. The podcast is sponsored by LSC's Leaders Council.