Nebraska housing crisis: Seniors struggle to find affordable housing

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Eastern Nebraska Office On Aging takes calls for help from seniors looking for a place to stay. They refer to resources, but often, there just isn’t an affordable place available.

For long-term care facilities, “there are a lot of new ones being built, but a lot of those might not be in the price range that most older adults can afford,” said MaryAnn Eusebio, the information and assistance division director.

The shortage of affordable housing goes beyond just seniors. Many are staying in their homes longer, which impacts younger buyers.

“If they have that sort of age-friendly option they can go to, they’re more likely to sell their large single-family home to a new, younger couple that can now raise their family there,” said Todd Stubbendieck of AARP Nebraska.

Stubbendieck said his widowed mom is in a situation like that, still in his childhood home in central Nebraska.

“If she had a better option, that wasn’t assisted living, she might be convinced to do that,” he said, “But I live in fear of all the steps that she has to live with every day.”

Just one of the groups working to improve the shortage is Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.

After speaking with North Omaha seniors who said they wanted to stay home but couldn’t find a suitable affordable option, the nonprofit included 20 homes geared toward seniors in their large Bluestem Prairie development in North Omaha, including 10 “empty-nester” villas, which will keep accessibility front of mind and be appropriate for older adults to plan to age in.

Learn more: Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on Bluestem Prairie development

Another project, completed two years ago, Nobility Point, added 60 long-term care units in North Omaha.

“We want to make sure that our longest-standing residents can stay in the place that they have always called home, even if that looks a little different,” said Lasha Goodwin of 75 North.

And for older adults who can no longer afford or are forced out of their homes, the lack of options is especially harmful.

Early last year, local nonprofit Together Omaha restored a hotel to provide temporary housing for seniors with nowhere to go.

Learn more: Together Omaha provides temporary home for those 65 and older at repurposed hotel

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