When housing doesn’t fit life stage anymore: Why Oregon needs more homes for older adults

Paula Morrison didn't come to Oregon looking for a new life. She came from Alaska because her mother was dying and she felt responsible. The oldest in her family, she felt it was her job to show up when it mattered.

What she didn't expect was how quickly her housing situation would become a turning point of its own.

Before she landed in her current apartment, Paula stayed in a downtown Portland shelter. She says she didn't feel secure at night, and the experience brought back old trauma. She still remembers the feeling of needing to stay alert even while trying to sleep.

With help from an advocate, she found housing in King City, Oregon and says she felt proud of the stability she'd built. She loved her neighbors. She kept her apartment spotless. She had a patio. It felt like home.

Then came the promise of a housing voucher, something that (in theory) would allow her to choose a home that better fits her needs. But the path didn't work the way she thought it would.

"I was told I had to live here for a year to be able to get my real housing voucher," Paula said. "I've been stuck here for six years and three months."

Paula is grateful she has a roof over her head. But she's not shy about the fact that the housing doesn't match the reality of her health or daily life.

She lives in a hilly area. Over time, the hill has evolved from being an inconvenience to becoming a serious barrier.

Two accidents have severely impacted her mobility. Now she uses a walker and is dealing with serious pain in her foot and back. She's seeing specialists. She's preparing for the possibility that her mobility will worsen.

What she wants sounds simple: a place on flat ground, with easy access to a grocery store, transit, her doctor's office.

Unfortunately, "simple" is exactly what's so hard to find.

Across Oregon, many older adults live on fixed incomes like Social Security. Even when they manage to secure an affordable apartment, the housing may not be designed for aging. Features like steep stairs, long distances to services, bathrooms without support bars, or locations that increase isolation can all contribute to less-than-ideal circumstances for older adults. For people whose mobility is changing, or who are managing health conditions, the wrong housing fit can turn everyday life into a risk.

"Oregon has a severe gap between housing that's affordable and what people need as they get older," said Stephanie J. Hooper, president and CEO at AGE+, a nonprofit organization serving older adults in Oregon. "Many older adults live in homes that no longer fit their budget, mobility, or everyday needs."

Paula's ideal living space is one with a community where older residents can connect, do crafts, play Bingo, crochet, and be with other people. She wants a home where she can live quietly, feel safe and able to walk out the door, and be around neighbors who are in the same season of life.

When asked what she'd tell decision makers, Paula gets specific.

Older adults need housing designed with aging in mind, including safer bathrooms, fewer tripping hazards, layouts that work with walkers or wheelchairs, and features that help people stay independent longer.

"They just need to think about what their mother would want," Paula stated.

Later this year, OHCS will launch the Older Adult Housing Development Initiative to help expand and preserve affordable housing options for older adults across Oregon. This $20 million+ initiative will focus on increasing the supply of housing that supports older adults to age safely and with stability in mind.

"I can downsize," Paula said. "At this point, it doesn't matter what it looks like. I'm just needing something downstairs...something more reliable."

This initiative will be another step toward making what's reliable more available. Oregon's older adults deserve housing that allows them to thrive, regardless of income, not just endure.