Advocates Raise Concerns Over Senior Housing Crisis – At first glance, the elderly woman who reached out to the Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) might seem secure—she owns her home and receives $967 in monthly Social Security benefits. But with a mortgage of $863 and mounting late fees, she was teetering on the edge of homelessness. Her situation isn’t unique—and to Rae Vermeal, a PCOA caseworker, it represents a growing crisis among older adults in southern Arizona.
“She was barely holding on,” Vermeal recalls. “We stepped in with support for her mortgage, helped her get SNAP and medical services. Now she’s surviving—but just barely.”
Once focused on providing wellness, education, and aging-in-place programs, the PCOA has found itself shifting gears over the past five years. As Arizona’s aging population swells, so too does the number of older adults unable to afford housing. The organization, once not considered a crisis response group, is now deeply entangled in triaging senior housing emergencies.
A Surge in Desperation
Lisa Reams, who oversees direct services at PCOA, says the change has been dramatic.
“Before 2019, we’d get around 20 emergency housing calls a month,” Reams explains. “By 2019, it jumped 40%—and in January of this year alone, we received 75 calls from seniors who were in serious trouble with rent or mortgages.”
Many of the seniors reaching out worked their entire lives, but now face skyrocketing rents, rising property taxes, and fixed incomes that simply don’t stretch far enough. Often, their housing costs consume more than 80% of their monthly income—well beyond the widely accepted threshold of 30-33% for financial stability.
“We’re seeing older adults whose housing costs are completely unsustainable, and they’re out of options,” Reams says.
The COVID Cushion and What Followed
Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic provided temporary relief. “During the eviction moratorium and the period of emergency stimulus checks, seniors had a short window of housing stability,” says Reams. “But once those protections ended, the bottom dropped out.”
Since then, calls for help have surged—outpacing the available resources.
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In 2023, the Arizona Division of Aging and Adult Services provided crucial funding that allowed PCOA to offer emergency rent, mortgage, and property tax relief. But that pot—about $450,000—was designed to be a one-time emergency measure.
“We’ve used 70% of it already,” Vermeal says. “And we’re on track to run out in less than six months.”
When Money Isn’t Enough
While emergency assistance helps buy time, it doesn’t address a more fundamental problem: the lack of affordable housing.
“We have funds ready to help with deposits or first month’s rent, but there just aren’t enough available units,” says Vermeal. “Our clients can’t compete with market-rate renters. So even with financial assistance, we can’t place them.”
A 2023 report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies revealed that 85% of Tucson seniors can’t afford in-home care or assisted living, forcing many to live independently, whether or not they are physically able.
The implications are far-reaching. Without stable housing, older adults are more likely to suffer from isolation, health deterioration, and mental health decline.
Why the Crisis Remains Hidden
Many older adults don’t appear in standard homelessness data because they avoid shelters or formal systems entirely.
“Instead of sleeping rough or going to shelters, they call organizations like ours,” Reams says. “So when we told the homelessness response system about this growing need, we had to explain: you’re not seeing these seniors because they’re calling us first. But we’re the canary in the coal mine.”
What’s Needed Next?
While both Vermeal and Reams welcome additional funding, they emphasize it won’t be enough without structural change.
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“We need actual places for people to live—affordable, accessible housing tailored to seniors,” Vermeal says. “We’re doing everything we can, but when rents keep rising and stock keeps shrinking, we’re plugging holes in a sinking boat.”
Reams adds, “We need policy change, long-term investment, and community awareness. This isn’t just a social issue. It’s a moral one. Nobody wants to see a bunch of 80-year-olds living on the street.”
A Silver Lining
Despite the grim reality, the staff at PCOA remains hopeful. They point to stories like the woman who almost lost her home, now holding on thanks to timely support, as proof that intervention works.
“We have to keep pushing,” Vermeal says. “Because every senior who can stay in their home, keep their independence, and age with dignity—that’s a win for the whole community.”
