The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Friday announced awards of more than $51.6 million to a total of 18 nonprofit organizations to finance affordable senior housing construction, provide rental assistance and facilitate supportive services delivery for very low-income seniors.
The action marks the first time since 2011 that HUD is awarding money to providers in the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program, according to LeadingAge.
“These awards will facilitate capital investment in senior housing developments and create roughly 1,100 new homes, the majority for very low-income seniors,” HUD Sec. Ben Carson said in a statement.
The Section 202 funds to nonprofit organizations will be provided in two forms:
- Capital advances cover the cost of developing, acquiring or rehabilitating the development. Repayment is not required as long as the housing remains available for occupancy by very low-income elderly individuals for at least 40 years.
- Project rental assistance contracts (PRACs) are project-based funding that covers the difference between residents’ contributions toward rent and the cost of operating the project.
LeadingAge member organizations will be receiving approximately $32.9 million of the total awarded.
“This is why we do the work we do,” LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan said, noting the organization’s 2017 and 2019 rallies on Capitol Hill, letters, expert testimony and the offering up of solutions such as RAD [Rental Assistance Demonstration] for PRAC to address affordable housing needs.
“These awards are truly tremendous results from years of aggressive advocacy to reinvest in and reinvigorate the 202 program and other types of affordable housing programs for older adults,” she said.
The $51.6 million in awards announced Friday represent the first portion of $251 million Congress has provided for new Section 202 homes since the program was revived in 2017, according to LeadingAge.
“As we celebrate this victory, we will keep in mind that wait lists are long and our fight is far from over,” LeadingAge Vice President of Housing Policy Linda Couch said in a statement. “LeadingAge will keep advocating to expand the nation’s affordable housing supply until every older adult has a quality place to call home.”
Grant awardees, according to HUD:
- National Church Residences, Columbus, OH* — $5 million
- Neighborhood Development Services, Windham, OH — $5 million
- New Samaritan Corp., Hartford, CT* — $4.7 million
- 2Life Communities (formerly Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly), Newton, MA* — $4.2 million
- Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corp., Austin, TX — $4.2 million
- Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Baltimore City, MD* — $3.7 million
- The McGregor Foundation, East Cleveland, OH* — $3.5 million
- HumanGood Affordable Housing, Seattle* — $3.1 million
- Tapestry Development Group, Dillon, SC — $2.7 million
- Mercy Housing Northwest, Tacoma, WA — $2.6 million
- National Church Residences, Douglasville, GA* — $2.6 million
- Elderly Housing Development and Operations Corp., Albuquerque, NM* — $2.1 million
- Volunteers of America National Services, Anoka, MN* — $2.1 million
- Wesley Housing Development Corp. of Northern Virginia, Frederick, VA — $2.1 million
- Vesta Longfellow, Cleveland — $1.2 million
- Community Housing and Development Corp., Warner Robins, GA — $1.1 million
- CSI Support & Development Services, Baltimore* — $1.1 million
- Catholic Housing and Community Services, Collingdale, PA* — $871,055
* LeadingAge member
