Episode 6 of “The Common Ground” Podcast – Growing Older, Growing Invisible – Is Out Now

By May Louis-Juste, NLIHC Project Manager, Strategic Partnerships 

Aging should come with stability, dignity, and a place to call home. But for a growing number of older adults, the later years of life are increasingly marked by housing instability and homelessness. 

In the newest episode of “The Common Ground,” we sit down with filmmaker Davey Schaupp and producer Michael Larson, creators of There Is No Place to Grow Old, a documentary that follows older adults navigating housing insecurity and homelessness in Portland, Oregon. In this episode, “Growing Older, Growing Invisible,” Davey and Michael explore what happens when rising housing costs, fixed incomes, decades of policy decisions, and gaps in support systems collide. Through the stories of older adults featured in the film, the conversation challenges common assumptions about who experiences homelessness and asks what it means to build a society where everyone can grow older with dignity. 

“You can work your entire life, retire, have kind of these Social Security payments or your benefits that you think are gonna cover at least your living costs, and the rent continues to go up every year,” said Michael Larson. “And now you can no longer afford the apartment that you've been in maybe for ten plus years.”  

Throughout the episode, a variety of perspectives challenge the idea that homelessness is simply the result of individual choices or personal failure. Instead, they point to a broader housing crisis shaped by affordability, supply, and systems that too often leave people without a safety net. 

“Unless you actually care about what’s at stake, you're not gonna care about the systems. And so that's where I really believe you have to start with story,” said Davey Schaupp. 

Listen to the newest episode of “The Common Ground,” and hear Davey and Michael discuss There Is No Place to Grow Old, the people behind the film, and why storytelling can help us see the housing crisis differently. 

If the conversation resonates with you, consider bringing the film to your own community. There Is No Place to Grow Old can be a starting point for conversations about housing, aging, dignity, and the kind of communities we want to build. This narrative change starts with seeing people differently, asking better questions, and finding the common ground, together. 

“The Common Ground” is a storytelling podcast that highlights the powerful intersections of housing, homelessness, and other sectors. Each episode aims to bring together cultural leaders, artists, journalists, advocates, and influencers to explore how their values and work connect to housing justice, emphasizing our collective responsibility for a future where everyone has a place to call home.    

Subscribe to join us as we explore our shared commitment to finding common ground. Listen to “The Common Ground” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and SoundCloud.