Senior citizens in our country often face a unique challenge when it comes to their housing. While rents continue to climb nationwide, many seniors find themselves struggling to make ends meet on a fixed, limited social security income. To help mitigate this problem, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has several housing programs in place to subsidize rents for eligible seniors in approved affordable senior housing. However, many seniors and their families don’t understand the eligibility requirements of these various assistance programs, or even how to find apartment communities that meet HUD guidelines for these rent subsidies. Let’s eliminate some of the confusion by exploring the qualifications for HUD senior housing and how you can find housing options in your area.

What, Exactly, Is Senior Housing?

As the name suggests, senior housing refers to HUD-designated residential communities specifically intended and/or designed to meet the housing needs of older people. Under the provisions of the Fair Housing Act and Housing for Older Persons Act, a rental community qualifies as “senior housing” if it meets the following criteria:

  • It is specifically designed to accommodate senior citizens according to HUD guidelines; AND
  • All occupants are 62 years of age or older; OR
  • At least 80 percent of the units are occupied by at least one person aged 55 or older.

In most cases, the Fair Housing Act says landlords can’t refuse to rent to any household based on “familial status” (i.e., if they have children under age 18). However, to accommodate the needs of seniors, the law exempts senior housing from this rule so they can qualify their occupants by age and decline to rent to families with children. When a property qualifies as senior housing under the HUD 811 rule, the government will subsidize rent for eligible seniors who live there, capping their rent at 30 percent of their monthly income.

Is Senior Housing the Same as Assisted Senior Living?

Not necessarily. Assisted living primarily refers to special accommodations for the elderly and/or people with disabilities (often with healthcare workers on-site). Senior housing accommodates people based on age and household income, not their physical condition. Some assisted living facilities may qualify as senior housing, but not all senior housing is assisted living. Many housing facilities for older people are more like senior housing communities that offer more opportunity for independent living.

What are the Qualifications for Senior Housing?

The specific qualifications for getting into senior housing may vary according to local rules and the type of property it is. However, they all base their eligibility on age and income requirements. Specifically:

  • Properties designated as 62 and older will abide strictly by that age requirement (i.e., only 62+ may reside there).
  • For properties designed for age 55+, at least one tenant must be 55 or older, meaning younger adult family members may be allowed to live with them.
  • Income verification: You’ll need to demonstrate that your income doesn’t exceed a certain threshold (typically 50 percent of the Area Median Income for that area).

Finding Approved Senior Housing

Your local HUD housing office or housing authority can provide information about affordable and low-income senior housing complexes in your area as well as discuss the process for determining your eligibility for affordable or low-income senior housing assistance. If you know of a specific property you’re interested in, you may also be able to reach out to that property directly to find out how to qualify for state or federal government assistance or if there is a waiting list.

Olympia Management, Inc. manages clean, safe and affordable housing communities throughout the southeastern United States, including a number of properties classified as senior housing. To learn about availability in your area and how to qualify, call us at 256-894-2382.