The Issues for Low Income Homeowners

According to the DRCOG 2004 Strengths and Needs Assessment of Older Adults in the Denver Metro Area:

• the number of adults age 60 or older is expected to almost double from an estimated 294,000 in 2004 to 577,000 in the year 2020.

• Most older adults (80% in the DRCOG region) live in their own homes and to continue to do so, they must be able to manage household activities. The DRCOG needs assessment reports that 22% of surveyed adults over the age of 60 cannot perform interior or exterior repairs on their homes.

• Using 200% of poverty as a broad measure of economic need, nearly 45,000 older adults were poor or “near poor” in 1999. Over half of these were age 75 and over.  The impact of limited incomes is significant for the aging population in the Denver metro area.

• While the majority of respondents (89%) had not had a fall that required medical attention in the previous 12 months, about one in ten reported at least one such fall in the past year. One percent had fallen and required medical attention three to five times.  The percentage of older adults reporting one or two serious falls in the past 12 months increased from the years 1999 to 2004 (from 5% of respondents in 1999 to 10% of respondents in 2004).

Rebuilding Together Metro Denver addresses the following needs through services provided to individuals and families applying for services:

• Health & safety – Fall prevention
• Energy efficiency (warm)
• Fixed and limited income:  Homeowners may have one main asset – their home, but this does not translate into cash availability to meet basic needs.  This may force the homeowner to choose between food, medications, utility payments, repairing a leaky roof or other home repairs that left unattended would negatively impact the well-being of the homeowner(s).
• Independence – individuals may prefer to remain in their own home as opposed to living with a family member or moving into some type of care facility.   Much of the work completed directly affects the homeowner’s ability to remain at home safely and comfortably.
• Affordable Housing/Home preservation/neighborhood revitalization