What's described as the first low-cost housing development in America for homeless and low income older members of the LGBT community has opened in Hollywood. The 104-unit complex, built around a swimming pool and open courtyard, was built by the nonprofit Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing and developer McCormack Baron Salazar at a cost of nearly $21 million. Funding for the project came from California state and Los Angeles city agencies. At Thursday's ribbon-cutting ceremony developer Tony Salazar said that the project's builders and financiers believe all seniors are entitled to a decent living environment, regardless of their income, race or sexuality. About a third of the units will be set-aside for low-income older Americans with HIV/AIDS, those who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Affluence in the gay community nationally is often cited - with estimates of buying power in excess of $145 billion annually little is ever reported on the number of low income or homeless, gays advocates say. It is estimated that Los Angeles has an LGBT population of 442,000 making it the second largest gay community in the country after New York. The Gay and Lesbian Elder Housing project said that aging gays face problems not encountered by straights. Same-sex partners cannot share a room in most care facilities. Even though there are many government programs that target the elderly, none are geared towards LGBT older adults. On top of that there is widespread homophobia among those entrusted with the care of older adults. As a result, many GLBT older adults retreat back into the closet. LGBT elderly often do not have the same family support systems as their heterosexual counterparts. Older gays are also discriminated against economically. Same-sex partners, for instance, cannot receive Social Security survivor benefits. With an aging society, the problems are likely to grow. Ref: 365gay.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 24th March 2007 - 12:00pm