Agency offers Stanislaus seniors rental help as wait list, calls for affordability grow
Advocates plan to assist Stanislaus County’s most vulnerable seniors through $100 monthly vouchers administered directly to their landlords. The aid will go to a relative handful of seniors who need subsidized housing at a time it’s in short supply.
The effort comes as the waiting period for subsidized housing in the region rises up to three years and more seniors are calling the county’s information helpline seeking affordable options, said Jill Erickson, manager for the Stanislaus County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), in a statement to The Bee.
In 2021, the AAA senior information helpline received an average of 45 calls per month, she said. That’s significantly higher than it was in 2018, when it averaged 29 calls a month.
“There simply are not any affordable apartments for seniors that are economically insecure without waiting multiple years for a subsidized apartment,” Erickson said
Of the 29 designated senior apartment complexes in Stanislaus County, only 11 accept the Section 8 Choice Voucher, she said. The others base rent on 30% of the applicant’s income or income and assets using a tiered rate based on the median income for the area.
Of the more than 103,000 Stanislaus County residents age 60 and older, 12.7% lived below the federal poverty level (FPL), according to the 2019 American Community Survey. It’s also estimated that one-third of seniors in the country have no money left over at the end of the month or are in debt after paying essential expenses, the National Council on Aging reports.
Fixed incomes and a low affordable housing supply could mean even bigger trouble for seniors because the local population is expected to grow to more than 145,000 by 2050, county data show. For now, advocates hope to financially assist 100 low-income seniors via a $120,000 grant funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, said Margie Palomino, director of Stanislaus County’s Department of Aging and Veteran Services.
“As the senior population continues to grow, so would the need for this type of assistance due to the lack of senior affordable housing in our county,” Palomino said.
Who can apply?
The grant will be administered by the Senior Advocacy Network (SAN), a nonprofit group that provides free legal aid services to seniors. It will determine eligibility for the voucher and process applications.
Hannah Brady, local housing coordinator at the SAN, said her top priority is to help seniors who have the most restricted incomes and are most burdened by rent.
“The thought process behind this specific subsidy is to help seniors who are on fixed incomes in that period between getting on a wait list and actually moving into subsidized housing,” she said.
Qualifying applicants will be eligible to receive the $100 voucher monthly through September 2022. However, Brady said, they are in the process of asking for the contract to be extended through Oct. 31, 2022.
Seniors whose income is equal to or less than the FPL will be prioritized first, said Brady. That means a single person’s monthly income can be no more than $1,073. For couples, the income cap is $1,452.
In addition to registering for subsidized housing, eligible participants must be 60 and older. Only seniors who live alone, or couples in which both are seniors, can apply.
Applicants must be listed on the lease, and their landlord needs to approve of the subsidy in order to qualify. No Social Security will be required to apply.
Funding will be available starting in November or as soon as the application can be processed. Those interested in applying need to provide a copy of their identification card and apartment lease.
Though the grant will be enough to help only 100 seniors, Brady said she will create a waiting list of no more than 20 people in case an applicant is able to get into affordable housing or moves out of the region.
“It’s not a lot of money, but it is supposed to give them a little bit more breathing room to pay for their necessities,” said Brady.
Those interested in applying should call Brady at 209-497-6226 or email her at sanhousingprogram@gmail.com.
