|
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
| SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE | ||
|
 |
Speaker stresses need for affordable senior housing By Tiffanie Drayton In three years, the oldest baby boomers will hit age 60. And as that generation ages, the need for senior housing will increase — although such housing won't become more affordable, say those who work in the field. That issue was the focus of the 14th annual meeting of Metropolitan Housing Coalition last night. The keynote speaker was Ellen Feingold, who has worked in senior housing for decades and served as co-chair of the 2002 congressional task force on affordable senior housing and health care facilities. Feingold listed lack of money, need for services in addition to housing, and developers' efforts to make a profit as issues affecting the affordability of housing for the aging. "Money is necessary to develop housing," she said. Feingold said Louisville cannot be much different from other major cities in the country that are experiencing an increase in the senior population. "This is a rural and urban issue," she said in an interview. "It has an effect in the North, South, East and West. No one is exempt." Statistics indicate that Jefferson County may feel the impact of an aging population strongly — its share of residents 65 and older is 14.6 percent, higher than the national figure at 12.4 percent, according to the U.S. Census. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that 12.4 percent national figure is expected to jump to 20 percent by 2030. Cindy Venable, coordinator for Louisville Metro Human Services' Office for Aging, said in an interview that the government will not have the means to support the aging population when baby boomers pass 60. "That is not that far away," she said. "We need to be planning now how we are going to respond." Deputy Metro Mayor Joan Riehm said that citizens at all social levels should have a variety of choices when pursuing homeownership and that she is aware that finding affordable housing is a critical issue for seniors. "I think at the heart of any great community is affordable housing," Riehm said. "We need to make housing as affordable and accessible as we can." The Metropolitan Housing Coalition is composed of more than 130 organizations supporting housing choice for low- and moderate - income families in the Louisville area. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
