Underserved and Overlooked: Equity Gaps and the Case for Age-Responsive Solutions to Older Adult Homelessness

Front Porch and the UC Berkeley Center for Advanced Study of Aging Services partnered with the Capstone team to examine systems that could improve outcomes for aging populations and to analyze existing data to identify housing interventions that successfully keep older adults housed. The number of unhoused older adults is increasing across the U.S. due to unaffordable housing options, the challenges of living on a fixed income, and a lack of social support from families and communities. Focusing on six counties in California - Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Alameda, San Jose, and Marin - the team conducted seven interviews with care providers and completed a landscape and data analysis of older adult homelessness from 2020 to the present. This project manifested as an advocacy toolkit for providers, policymakers, and researchers, with key data points, major qualitative findings, and recommendations. The team recommended policy solutions, including enhanced ongoing financial support and social safety nets, emphasizing individualized approaches through social work triage to address the unique needs of older adults.