Document Type

Technical Report

Publication Date

2-2012

Subjects

Older people -- Oregon -- Portland, Aging population, Housing -- Portland Metropolitan Area, Income distribution -- Portland Metropolitan Area

Abstract

This report was prepared on behalf of the Aging in Place Initiative of Home Forward. The Initiative sought to gather information about older persons currently residing in Home Forward’s public housing properties, from persons age 55 and older on the waitlist for housing, and from older adults in the Portland area. While local data were unavailable at the time of this report, we know that nationally, more than one-third (37 percent) of the approximately 5 million households receiving housing assistance from HUD are headed by persons age 62 and older. With this in mind, Home Forward must make decisions now about how to respond to the aging of both current residents and the local community.

The population of older persons has and will continue to increase in Multnomah County, and Oregon. While many older persons enjoy relative economic stability, a sizeable number are very poor and face housing instability and declining health. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the poverty rate among county residents age 65 and older is 10.9%, higher than the national average of 9%. A recent study of Multnomah County adults with incomes at or below 200% of poverty level found that 44% of those who had moved in the prior five years had done so to reduce housing costs.

Description

This report was prepared on behalf of the Aging in Place Initiative of Home Forward by Portland State University’s Institute on Aging.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/15669

Share

COinS