Fund Resident Assistants in Affordable Senior Housing in SFY 2025!

Rigorous research and countless hours of provider experience have shown that Resident Assistants in affordable independent senior housing promote improved physical and emotional well-being, stronger social supports, and better connections to community programs and resources for aging residents. In addition to being a common-sense model to help seniors stay healthy, independent, and socialized, this light-touch guidance has been proven to provide Medicaid and Medicare savings to the health care delivery system. But unfortunately, despite these obvious benefits to older New Yorkers and the State, there are few, if any, financial avenues outside of charitable donation for providers to sustain a Resident Assistant position to serve their aging residents.

The absence of State operational funding to support Resident Assistants in all affordable senior housing has left thousands of older adults living in these units without much-needed guidance in identifying and accessing appropriate aging services within the community. That’s why we’re urging the Governor to establish a statewide Affordable Independent Senior Housing Resident Assistant Program in this year’s State Budget.

With a modest investment of only $10 million over five years, the first-of-its-kind statewide Affordable Independent Senior Housing Resident Assistant Program would allow more affordable senior housing providers to maintain a staff member to help low-income senior residents navigate and connect with existing supports, age safely in their community, and avoid more intensive and costly levels of care for as long as possible.

Enter your information below to contact the Governor TODAY and urge her to fund and establish an Affordable Independent Senior Housing Resident Assistant Program in the State of New York.