Leading Florida organizations focused on the elderly population will gather in Tampa this month to address the growing housing crisis among Florida’s elderly. More and more elderly people are struggling to stay housed and are losing their housing all together, a situation expected to worsen in the next decade. The meeting has been organized by the Florida Supportive Housing Coalition with the goal of formulating a shared plan of action to expand independent housing solutions throughout the state.
The focus will be people 55 and older who are at risk of losing their homes or have already done so. Unsheltered people in this age group grew three times as quickly as the general population experiencing homelessness from 2023 to 2024, when 5,300 people were in this situation. 40 percent of all low-income, cost-burdened households (347,312 households in 2023) were 55 or older, up from 34% in 2019. Those most at risk of losing their homes are single renters relying solely on Social Security to survive. The average Social Security payment in Florida is just under $2,000 per month while the average rent for a studio apartment is $1,100.
The gathering will be hosted by Gracepoint Wellness at The Graham, a supportive housing apartment complex for elderly and formerly homeless. The Shimberg Center for Housing Studies will provide new information and analysis for the discussion.
For more information and resources on the elder housing crisis and what you can do in your community, please visit Elder Housing Initiative – Florida Supportive Housing Coalition
For Additional Information, contact:
Maria Barcus, FSHC Elder Initiative Coordinator