Stonewall Community Development Corporation Announces New Data-Driven Tool to Address Housing Needs of NYC’s LGBTQ Seniors

Many Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered & Questioning (LGBTQ) seniors in New York who survived the AIDS epidemic and the civil rights movement now face one of their biggest challenges yet: access to affordable housing and quality healthcare services.

In response to this unique need, our client the Stonewall Community Development Corporation (SCDC) plans to launch an exciting new data-driven tool to help investors, policymakers and developers effectively understand LGBTQ community’s needs so they can better address this housing crisis. Providing affordable, supportive and safe housing to LGBTQ seniors is the foundation to build solutions to other social and healthcare challenges.

 “These LGBTQ older adults are the pioneers of the gay rights movement.  We are determined to make sure that they have safe places to live and age in place, where their full selves can be acknowledged, celebrated and supported.  Because there’s no place like home,” said SCDC Board President Marianne Nicolosi, who has more than 30 years’ experience in geriatric service delivery.

One of the most significant challenges that LGBTQ seniors face beyond those of the general elder population is potential discrimination in housing and health care delivery. They also have higher poverty rates and often lack the family networks that generally comprise 80% of caregivers.

SCDC is conducting research and community outreach in the five boroughs to ascertain existing local needs, challenges and opportunities as perceived by the LGBT senior communities. Once completed, SCDC will present their findings to commercial developers, service providers and vendors to model financing, revenue and service provision pro formas that can meet the LGBT senior community needs in a financially sustainable way.

“This data will inform SCDC of the vulnerable population’s needs regarding housing, affordable housing, aging in place, support networks and related health, financial and social services,” said SCDC’s Executive Director Paul Nagle. “Furthermore, SCDC will be able to provide evidence-based data to investors, policymakers and developers and clarify the challenges and the opportunities involved in creating these projects.”

With the SCDC Board’s expertise and Strength in Numbers Consulting Group to deploy and interpret survey findings, SCDC is prepared to support real estate developers, both commercial and not-for-profit, policymakers, community-based organizations and geriatric service providers in addressing these issues with a suite of comprehensive strategies.

The survey will be available online and handed out to the target population at senior centers and events from October 2016 through February 2017. The final report will be made available to the public in June 2017.

In celebration of LGBT Pride Month that takes place every June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan, we salute our client Stonewall Community Development Corporation for building affordable and supportive housing for the LGBTQ senior community.

If you are a real estate developer looking for ways to diversify your affordable and supportive housing, consider working with Stonewall Community Development Corporation. To learn more visit www.StonewallCDC.org

Claire Altman

Claire Altman, Capalino’s Executive Vice President for Affordable Housing + Community Development, has extensive experience in this area and can guide you on your next project. Contact Claire at claire@nullcapalino.com

Housing + Real Estate Services 

Sign up for our weekly newsletter here to keep up with the latest news in New York.