Across the U.S., older adults are facing mounting housing pressures as rents rise and accessible units remain in short supply. Adults aged 50 and older are the fastest-growing segment of people experiencing homelessness, and the number of homeless older adults is projected to triple by 2030. At the same time, more than half of older renters and over one-quarter of older homeowners are “housing cost burdened,” spending at least 30 percent of their income on housing and leaving less for food, health care, and personal care. Limited accessibility in existing housing — alongside growing rates of disability and unmet needs for assistance with daily activities — increases the risk that older adults lose housing, enter institutional care, or become homeless.

In a West Health Mosaic blog post, CHCS program officer Emma Rauscher, MPH, outlines a range of evidence-informed housing approaches that can help older adults remain safely housed and connected to their communities. These include strategies to support aging in place, as well as community-based options. The blog post underscores the need for coordinated investment from nonprofits, private developers, service providers, and all levels of government to scale these solutions so that more older adults can live in the residences of their choice as they age.