The Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) campaign released two updated fact sheets highlighting the impact of affordable housing on aging populations and on racial equity. Research shows that as the total U.S. population of older adults increases at historic rates, the percentage of housing cost-burdened older adults is rising significantly. This process is putting older low-income renters at greater risk of housing instability and homelessness, both of which accelerate age-related health conditions. Meanwhile, for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC), racial inequities in housing originating from centuries of racist housing policies persist to this day. Significant federal investment in affordable housing programs, like the Housing Choice Voucher program, is necessary to repair these long-standing inequities in housing. The updated fact sheets were developed with the help of campaign partners in the aging and civil rights sectors, including Justice in Aging and Poverty & Race Research Action Council.
In total, the campaign has posted 16 multi-sector fact sheets to its website. Each fact sheet compiles landmark research to help policymakers, opinion leaders, and the public understand the deep connections between housing and other national priorities, from healthcare to education to economic growth. Housing advocates are encouraged to download the fact sheets to support efforts to reach out to allies in other fields and make the case for cross-sector collaboration. To broaden the movement for housing justice, we must ensure that allies in other sectors fully appreciate the extent to which housing influences their own priorities and goals.
Find a full list of fact sheets here.