The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last week awarded nearly $15 million to 13 nonprofit organizations to make aging in place easier for low-income seniors.
The grants come as a part of HUD’s Older Adults Home Modification Program (OAHMP) and will help seniors remain at home through low-cost and high-impact modifications and will service over 1,900 senior families in both rural and urban settings across the country. HUD officials said the grants will enable more seniors to remain in their homes — as opposed to moving to assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
“By providing a pathway for more older adults to stay in their homes, we are helping to improve lives and ensuring the opportunity for seniors to age with dignity,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement.
The 13 nonprofit organizations — and one state government, Virginia — span 11 different states. Of the OAHMP proposed grants, 1,117 rural units and 792 urban units will receive funding. The total amount of the grants is $14,479,633.
Director of HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Matthew Ammon believes the money will go a long way towards helping seniors.
“There is a strong connection between health and housing,” he said. “These grants provide a critical resource to communities to make low-cost, low barrier, high impact home modifications tailored to the needs of the residents.”
