LeadingAge To Congress: Invest in Housing Stability for Older Adults

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Two facts undergird our approach: first, housing assistance programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a proven track record of successfully housing older adults and reducing homelessness; second, demand continues to outpace supply.

LeadingAge, in a letter sent to House and Senate appropriators on March 18, 2026, outlined fiscal year 2027 (FY27) appropriations priorities to address the growing crisis of housing unaffordability among older adults with low incomes. Two facts undergird our approach: first, housing assistance programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have a proven track record of successfully housing older adults and reducing homelessness; second, demand continues to outpace supply.

The most recent HUD Worst Case Housing Needs report finds that older adults will remain a key demographic facing severe housing challenges as the population ages. Research from the Urban Institute further warns that, absent a proactive national housing policy, homelessness among older adults could triple by 2030.

LeadingAge calls on Congress to:

• Expand and modernize HUD's flagship senior housing program, Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, including by providing $600 million in capital advances as primary financing for approximately 2,000 new homes and adjusting operating subsidy to the Section 8 program.

• Fully renew existing Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) contracts and Project Rental Assistance Contracts (PRACs), including funding that reflects annual operating cost increases for insurance, labor, utilities, service coordination, and internet connectivity.

• Address housing instability among older adults by providing $50 million for about 5,000 new Older Adult Special Purpose Vouchers, at least 50% of which could be project-based for use in a variety of settings serving older adults, including market-rate and low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC)-financed communities, as well as assisted living communities.

• Support independent aging in affordable senior housing by renewing and expanding service coordination programs in HUD-assisted housing, including providing a total of $265 million, of which $225 million would support existing grant renewals for newly authorized two-year terms, and $40 million of which would fund an additional 100 service coordinators for the standard, initial three-year grant term.

• Support new, budget-based service coordinator programs in Project-Based Section 8 properties by providing a $31 million increase to the Section 8 budget and streamline the rent adjustment process used to add service coordination to property budgets.

• Continue the improved financial viability of Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD)-converted Section 202 PRACs by investing $10 million in HUD's Preservation Rent Increases (PRI) and broadening access to market-based rent adjustments.

• Fully fund HUD's homeless assistance programs, including support for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs through the Continuum of Care (CoC) funding.

• Fully fund the renewal of all housing assistance and supply programs, including Public Housing, Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Shortages of affordable housing negatively impact both older adults and the workforce that serves them. The lack of affordable homes limits older adults' ability to age in community. In addition, affordable housing and other aging services staff may, due to the high cost of housing, be forced to take employment in other sectors or far from aging services jobs, thus reducing older adults' access to services.

• Prevent Staff Cuts and Ensure that HUD Releases Appropriated Funds Congress must ensure HUD has the staff capacity to effectively carry out its congressionally directed programs and mandates, including the effective administration of the agency's housing assistance programs for older adults and the workforce that serves them.

Read the full letter here. Aging services stakeholders are encouraged to share these FY27 priorities with their own senators and representatives using this action alert.