ICYMI: Resident Assistance Advocacy Day Recap
(March 10, 2026) The first-ever Resident Assistance Advocacy Day, planned in conjunction with LeadingAge NY's advocacy partners at LiveOn NY and attended by members West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing (WSFSSH) and Selfhelp Community Services, was a success.
The LeadingAge NY proposal to create an Affordable Independent Senior Housing Assistance (or “Resident Assistance”) Program (A.1948 (Rosenthal)/S.9214 (Cleare)) would secure State funding to provide low-income older adults with on-site, on-request assistance in affordable housing buildings, including help accessing services, benefits, and preventative programming; obtaining transportation or using technology for telehealth and social engagement; and arranging for on-site social and wellness programs to combat isolation and strengthen healthy living habits such as exercise and good nutrition.
Attendees had a total of 15 meetings on the Feb. 25th Resident Assistance Advocacy Day with members of the Senate and Assembly, their staff, and central staff with responsibility for developing the budget for housing, all in advance of the joint legislative hearing on the housing budget that afternoon.
The packed schedule paid off as Assemblymember Dana Levenberg (D-Ossining) asked Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas pointed and strategic questions about how the State supports older adults living in affordable housing and what it would take to implement a Resident Assistance program at the top of the hearing. The proposal was also supported in testimony by Rachel Fee of the NY Housing Conference (NYHC). Annalyse Komoroske Denio, Senior Policy Analyst for LeadingAge NY, delivered a statement in support on behalf of Eustacia Smith, Director of Advocacy for WSFSSH, to help close the hearing.
Read LeadingAge NY’s written testimony here, and view the hearing and all testimony on the Senate’s website here.
LeadingAge NY staff are reviewing the one-house budget proposals issued by the Senate and Assembly late on March 9th. Initial analysis indicates that the Senate proposal includes language and $2 million for an "Affordable Independent Senior Housing Assistance Program." The Senate has also proposed $40 million for a Statewide Senior Housing Program to construct and preserve statewide supportive housing for older adults. The Assembly proposal does not appear to include these provisions. A more detailed summary and next steps for budget advocacy are forthcoming as the April 1st deadline approaches for a final budget agreement.
Contact: Annalyse Komoroske Denio, akomoroskedenio@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866