Affordable Housing Is Getting Scarce for Older Adults

In a recent webinar about the status of federal housing assistance for older adults in the United States, nonprofit organizations Justice in Aging and the National Low Income Housing Coalition partnered to offer attendees a brief overview of the housing pressures currently facing older Americans. The presenters also outlined the federal policy threats that exist and potential opportunities for improving the situation.

Housing Issues Facing Older Adults

Older adults are the fastest-growing group experiencing homelessness. Many of them live on fixed incomes, such as from Social Security or small pensions, so rising rents can quickly push them into housing instability.

The maximum monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment for 2025 is $967 for an individual and $1,450 for a couple. The estimated average monthly Social Security retirement payment was $1,976 as of January 2025. Meanwhile, the national average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is about $1,630 per month, according to Apartments.com.

Displacement, eviction, and homelessness are growing risks for older adults who lack a substantial nest egg and are relying on Social Security to meet their needs. Even small income shocks, such as medical bills or extra caregiving costs, can trigger eviction and homelessness for older renters.

“Our research shows that seniors … make up more than a third of extremely low-income renters. So, when housing is unaffordable, renters are often severely cost burdened. That means that they spend more than half of their income on housing,” Chantelle Wilkinson of the National Low Income Housing Coalition told webinar attendees.

You’re choosing between rent. You’re choosing between healthy foods and medication and so many other essential things.

Another issue plaguing older adults is a scarcity of accessible and disability-appropriate rental units. Many older adults and people with disabilities need units with accessibility features and supportive services. However, supply of such units at affordable rental rates is limited.

Current Federal Housing Assistance Programs

Federal housing assistance programs that currently serve older adults and adults with disabilities include the following:

• Housing Choice Voucher Program. Also known as Section 8, this program helps veterans, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families afford housing in the private market. Section 8 vouchers can be a crucial lifeline for older renters.
• Project-Based Rental Assistance and Public Housing. These housing options provide reduced rents in specific buildings. The buildings may be owned by a local housing authority or privately owned but subsidized by a local authority or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
• Section 202 Supportive Housing. This HUD program provides affordable housing with supportive services, such as cleaning, cooking, and transportation, to qualifying seniors.
• Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities. The Section 811 program helps create multifamily housing for low-income individuals with disabilities.
• Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs). HUD’s EHV program provides housing choice vouchers to public housing authorities and other entities to assist individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.

Potential Rollback of the 30-Day Notice Rule

A key highlight from the webinar was HUD’s 30-day notice rule, an important tenant protection that was adopted under the Biden administration. This rule requires landlords in federally subsidized housing to give tenants at least 30 days’ written notice before starting an eviction for nonpayment of rent. This gives older adults extra time to get help, whether that’s applying for rental assistance, setting up a payment plan, or contacting a legal aid attorney.

However, the concern is that HUD may roll back this protection, which could lead to faster evictions and more housing instability for low-income seniors.

Such protections, according to Jennifer Kye, director of federal housing advocacy at Justice in Aging, are critical for preventing homelessness:

This is especially true in the context of subsidized housing, because if people are evicted from subsidized housing, they usually not only lose their home, but also their subsidy.

Work Requirements and Time Limits

The webinar presenters warned that HUD may also revisit policies related to work requirements and time limits that could make it more difficult for low-income older adults to keep their housing. Work requirements would require tenants to work or seek employment to qualify for assistance. Time limits would cap how long someone could receive HUD housing support.

According to Kye, seniors and people with disabilities would likely be exempt from these rules. However, she added, these populations are nevertheless “likely to lose their housing assistance under this type of rule” due to “new administrative barriers and red tape.”

Proposed Budget Cuts and Program Changes

Though not covered in the webinar, according to reports from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Trump administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal would reduce HUD’s rental assistance by 43 percent ($26.72 billion).

In addition, it proposes consolidating several HUD rental assistance programs into a State Rental Assistance Block Grant (SRABG) program. A block grant structure would bundle multiple HUD programs together and allocate a lump sum of federal funds to each state. Distributing and managing those funds locally would shift to states. As this is still a proposal, Congress would need to approve it.

Several congressional committees have advanced bills that propose cutting or restructuring existing housing assistance programs. Others have proposed smaller reductions or program protections. Because Congress ultimately controls HUD’s appropriations, the outcome remains unclear.

If you would like to speak with an experienced elder law attorney regarding your situation or have questions about something you have read, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 1 (800) 680-1717. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

 Disclaimer: The information provided above is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.