Developing Affordable and Accessible Community-Based Housing for Vulnerable Adults: Proceedings of a Workshop

Accessible and affordable housing can enable community living, maximize independence, and promote health for vulnerable populations. However, the United States faces a shortage of affordable and accessible housing for vulnerable low-income older adults and individuals living with disabilities. This shortage is expected to grow over the coming years given the population shifts leading to greater numbers of older adults and of individuals living with disabilities.

To better understand the importance of affordable and accessible housing for older adults and adults with disabilities, the barriers to providing this housing, the design principles for making housing accessible for these individuals, and the features of programs and policies that successfully provide affordable and accessible housing that supports community living for older adults and people with disabilities, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with support from a group of sponsors, convened a public workshop on December 12, 2016, in Washington, DC. The Forum on Aging, Disability, and Independence and the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities co-hosted the workshop.