North Carolina Affordable Housing Demand is Crucial, Seniors Are No Exception
According to research, North Carolina has substantial gaps in meeting affordable housing needs, and that is critically important for one segment of the population: retirees and seniors.
A study commissioned by the North Carolina Chamber Foundation, NC Home Builders Association and the state’s REALTORS, housing supply and demand “could and should be addressed through some combination of new construction, housing repairs and weatherization, and by providing financial assistance to residents with severe housing affordability issues.”
A growing number of low-income older adults are in need of affordable housing. Addressing this critical need offers mission-driven organizations, including life plan communities, a unique opportunity to deepen their impact while enhancing their strategy to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving aging services landscape.
Givens Affordable Communities is working to find innovative, collaborative ways to create more affordable senior living in the western end of the state. One example is Givens Webster Village near Sylva, with 120 affordable senior apartments planned as part of a larger, multi-income residential development in partnership between Givens Communities, Mountain Projects, and Western Carolina University, with support from Jackson County’s Office of Economic Development.
Another example is Clinchfield Mill in Marion. Originally a textile mill, Givens Communities purchased the site in 2022 after receiving a $3 million grant from the Dogwood Health Trust. The master plan is to preserve the historic integrity of the site and rehabilitate the mill into affordable senior affordable housing.
As the demand for affordable housing for older adults grows amid shifting demographics, mission-driven organizations have an opportunity to deepen their impact by addressing this critical need. By incorporating affordable housing into strategic initiatives, aging services providers can bolster economic growth, increase access to affordable homes, and support older adults in the community.
Givens Affordable Communities has developed a model of housing with supportive services to meet the needs by helping older adults age successfully in their homes and communities. By embedding social workers and a community nurse into affordable senior housing, residents are supported through challenges and health transitions, and they are not only healthier, but they thrive through overcoming social isolation, rediscovering interests, and talents, contributing, learning, and playing. All of this results in increased health, which enables seniors to live fully and age with dignity.