The number of seniors are rising in the U.S., and those who are low-income or homeless find themselves struggling the most to find affordable housing. This Saturday, January 25th, our class had a site visit to several affordable housing options in San Diego. Starting with our first site visit, we were lucky to meet Mr. Plunkett, allowed us into his home and shared a little bit of his story and a lovely photograph of his mother. It was his birthday, and he was very delighted to hear us sing Happy Birthday!
Throughout our site visit, there were some of the differences that I noted between the different housing choices. One of our sites had single-room occupancy units. The lack of windows and narrow hallways made the space feel small, opposed to another space with large windows and open air. That site had large windows and patios for its residents.
Our last site was one of the first affordable housing units for LGBTQ+ seniors. Outside the complex, there was an art piece that emphasized community, with the phrase “You are home” in rainbow colors. It is located in a great location, close to Hillcrest, and with lots of access to public transportation.
In many ways, housing has a great impact on one’s mental and physical health. All these homes are focused on providing housing for at-risk seniors. Bruce was another senior we met during our site tour. His story shows that anyone can fall into a financial crisis no matter how financially secure they once were. Suffering from a health condition was one of the factors he became homeless. He mentioned that many people on the street feel forgotten, and are looking for a second chance. People deserve to feel safe and protected through housing.
Throughout our site visit, there were some of the differences that I noted between the different housing choices. One of our sites had single-room occupancy units. The lack of windows and narrow hallways made the space feel small, opposed to another space with large windows and open air. That site had large windows and patios for its residents.
Our last site was one of the first affordable housing units for LGBTQ+ seniors. Outside the complex, there was an art piece that emphasized community, with the phrase “You are home” in rainbow colors. It is located in a great location, close to Hillcrest, and with lots of access to public transportation.
In many ways, housing has a great impact on one’s mental and physical health. All these homes are focused on providing housing for at-risk seniors. Bruce was another senior we met during our site tour. His story shows that anyone can fall into a financial crisis no matter how financially secure they once were. Suffering from a health condition was one of the factors he became homeless. He mentioned that many people on the street feel forgotten, and are looking for a second chance. People deserve to feel safe and protected through housing.