Housing Options for Older Adults

              State of Illinois
Pat Quinn, Governor
Illinois Department on Aging
Charles D. Johnson, Director
Options
Housing
for Older
Adults
There are many housing options available
to seniors. Some options are designed
to help an older adult remain in his or her
own home, allowing that person to
“age in place.” Other options are designed
to provide supportive services to residents
in a multi-unit setting.
Large-Scale,
Multi-Unit Options
􀂄􈑃 Congregate Housing is multi-unit rental
housing, specifically designed, planned and
managed to provide supportive services to its
residents. It typically provides self-contained
apartments or single rooms and supportive
services and includes meals, housekeeping,
transportation, social and recreational
activities.
􀂄􈑃 Continuing Care Retirement or
Life Care Communities involves housing
planned and operated to provide a continuum
of accommodations for older adults including
(but not limited to) independent living,
congregate housing, assisted living and
nursing home care. Services are contingent
upon the level of functioning of the resident
and the care he or she needs. Financial
arrangements may include significant entrance
and/or endowment fees, in addition to monthly
charges. (It is important to note the
distinction between the two. A Life
Care Community guarantees care for
life; a Continuing Care Retirement
Community does not.)
􀂄􈑃 Cooperative Apartment is typically an
independent apartment building where
residents are part owners of the corporation
controlling the building. Owners have part in
the decision-making process and can affect
the amenities of the building, including
management and services.
􀂄􈑆 Farmers Home Administration (FmHA)
provides financial assistance to eligible entities
to construct apartment complexes in rural
areas (towns with populations less than
10,000). Apartment complexes are designated
either as family or as elderly (designed for
those 62 or older, or developmentally disabled)
and are residential in nature. Rent is based on
tenant’s income.
􀂄􈑆 Federally Subsidized Housing consists of
rental housing built privately or municipally and
operated with financial assistance from the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). Low-income residents
pay 30 percent of their income for rent and
HUD pays the difference. Management
provides limited services, if at all, to the
residents, who are required to be independent.
Dwellings built under the Section 202 program
provide rental units exclusively for seniors and
persons with disabilities.
􀂄􈑉 Independent Senior Apartments are
structures with self-contained living units for
older adults who are able to care for
themselves. Management may facilitate
minimal access to community services and
provide limited recreational services for
voluntary use by residents. No medical
services are provided.
􀂄􈑍 Municipally Owned or Subsidized Housing
consists of a building or program that allows
for its low or moderate-income residents to
pay 25 to 30 percent of their incomes for rent.
A municipally-funded building or program is
funded through bonds, taxes and other pools
of money that guarantee the market rent will
be paid to the management.
􀂄􈑒 Retirement Communities (Villages) are
developments that typically offer home
ownership and rental units specifically planned
and designed for older adults. Supportive
services are often available free of charge.
􀂄􈑓 Single Room Occupancy Hotel is property
primarily providing single, furnished rooms for
rent on a daily, weekly or monthly basis with no
lease. They are usually occupied by low-income
individuals, and are also known as
transient hotels or SROs.
The Illinois Department on Aging does not discriminate in admission to programs
or treatment of employment in programs or activities in compliance with
appropriate State and Federal statutes. If you feel you have been discriminated
against, call the Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966, 1-888-206-1327 (TTY).
IL-402-0787 Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois
IOCI 1322-09 (Rev. 8/09 - 12M, 7/07, 9/03, 10/97)
Illinois Housing
Development
Authority (IHDA)
For information on other affordable housing
programs, call IHDA Office of Housing
Coordination Services: 312-836-5383
or visit www.ihda.org.
The definitions for this
brochure were developed
from the following
resources:
Linda Hubbard, Ed.,
Housing Options for
Older Americans
(Washington, D.C.,
1984, AARP)
AARP with the Federal Trade
Commission, Your Home Your Choice:
A Work Book for Older People and
Their Families (Washington, D.C., AARP)
Audio-Visual Resource Center, Cornell
University, Housing Options for the
Elderly (Ithaca, N.Y.)
Shared Housing Resource Center, What is
Shared Housing? (Philadelphia, PA)
State of Illinois
Department on Aging
421 East Capitol Avenue, #100
Springfield, Illinois 62701-1789
www.state.il.us/aging
Senior HelpLine: 1-800-252-8966
1-888-206-1327 (TTY)