New York City and the nation has continued demographic shifts in the coming years, so its needs innovative policy solutions and service models for the older adult population and housing.

The above poverty metrics are a clear example of why affordable rents are so important to the senior population. However, according to a report by the New York City Comptroller, more than half of the City’s seniors are renters, with 60% paying more than 30% of their household income on rent – far beyond the threshold of affordability as determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Rent burden is particularly problematic for the older adult population, as increased housing costs for those on fixed incomes, like Social Security, and can lead to adverse health impacts from forgoing medicine or skipping meals in order to make rent. Further, as cited in the Comptroller’s Aging with Dignity report, 35.5% of the City’s 65+ noninstitutionalized population report having some form of disability. This is significantly higher than among the population at large, and is  a reality that makes certain common housing accommodations, such as units in buildings without elevators,  less suitable or safe. Buildings designed to support the needs of an aging population, deemed ‘age-friendly,’ are key to supporting independence for individuals experiencing physical limitations. Finally, according to a AARP’s 2018 Home & Community Preferences Survey, almost 50% of older New Yorkers are living alone, with widows making up one of every four individuals. The population is also incredibly diverse, with almost half being foreign born, as found by Center for an Urban Future. This correlates to the need for increased opportunities for socialization, as isolation is newly understood to be a greater predictor of morbidity than obesity or cigarettes, as reported by the New York Times in  Social Interaction Is Critical for Mental and Physical Health.

is expected to grow by 48.5%  and more than 1.86 million individuals by 2040. So the City’s housing stock persists in crisis due to limited supply, population growth, and rising rents. In order to fight the housing crisis especially for older adults and the low-income population. The responsibility is that the city state and federal government should be provided resources towards a variety of housing programs. The older adult population is expected to continue increasing rapidly and individuals are women have a higher life expectancy on average than men.

The above poverty metrics are a clear example of why affordable rents are so important to the senior population. However, according to a report by the New York City Comptroller, more than half of the City’s seniors are renters, with 60% paying more than 30% of their household income on rent – far beyond the threshold of affordability as determined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Rent burden is particularly problematic for the older adult population, as increased housing costs for those on fixed incomes, like Social Security, and can lead to adverse health impacts from forgoing medicine or skipping meals in order to make rent. Further, as cited in the Comptroller’s Aging with Dignity report, 35.5% of the City’s 65+ noninstitutionalized population report having some form of disability. This is significantly higher than among the population at large, and is  a reality that makes certain common housing accommodations, such as units in buildings without elevators,  less suitable or safe. Buildings designed to support the needs of an aging population, deemed ‘age-friendly,’ are key to supporting independence for individuals experiencing physical limitations. Finally, according to a AARP’s 2018 Home & Community Preferences Survey, almost 50% of older New Yorkers are living alone, with widows making up one of every four individuals. The population is also incredibly diverse, with almost half being foreign born, as found by Center for an Urban Future. This correlates to the need for increased opportunities for socialization, as isolation is newly understood to be a greater predictor of morbidity than obesity or cigarettes, as reported by the New York Times in  Social Interaction Is Critical for Mental and Physical Health.