HUD Service Coordinator and Assisted Living Conversion Program Grants Announced

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced  nearly $7.5 million in service coordinator grants to 39 owners of private housing developments that receive rental subsidies from HUD to house low-income individuals in 21 states.  

Paul A. Westerberg Tower of Jamestown was awarded the only New York State service coordinator grant.

The grants are designed for an initial three-year period to allow eligible owners of multifamily housing for the elderly or disabled, to hire and support a service coordinator. The funds cover such costs as salary, benefits, quality assurance, training, office space, equipment, and other related administrative expenses.

A 2008 HUD report found aging in place reduces rates of premature institutionalization for low-income elderly residents, thus reducing the costs borne by taxpayers. Yet, in recent years, funding for the HUD Section 202 program has been eliminated for new construction and the funding for new service coordinators has been drastically reduced from previous years.  

In addition, HUD awarded $17 million in grants to the owners of multi-family housing developments in six states to convert some or all of their apartments into assisted living or service-enriched environments for elderly residents.

HUD’s Assisted Living Conversion Program (ALCP) grants provide private, nonprofit owners of eligible developments with resources to convert some or all of their apartments into an Assisted Living Facility (ALF) or Service-Enriched Housing (SEH) for elderly residents aging in place.

Licensed and regulated by the State or local community, Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) are designed to accommodate frail elderly and people with disabilities who can live independently but need assistance with activities of daily living (e.g., assistance with eating, bathing, grooming, dressing and home management activities) ALFs must provide support services such as personal care, transportation, meals, housekeeping, and laundry.

Service-Enriched Housing is designed to accommodate frail elderly persons or elderly persons with service needs who are aging in place. Residents are able to live independently but need assistance with activities of daily living comparable to services typically provided in a licensed assisted living facility, such as health care-related services. These supportive services must be available through a licensed or certified third party service provider. Service-Enriched Housing is housing that accommodates the provision of services to elderly residents who need assistance with activities of daily living in order to live independently.

Unfortunately, there were no awards in New York State for an ALCP.

Contact: Ken Harris, kharris@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8835