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Cities and providers push statewide bridge subsidy to keep older adults housed while they wait for permanent units
Summary
Somerville’s pilot and Western Massachusetts providers urged lawmakers to expand the older-adult bridge subsidy (S475 / H4015) as an urgent measure to prevent displacement and homelessness among low‑income seniors; witnesses described long housing waits, case examples and municipal tools used while the subsidy is not yet statewide.
Advocates, municipal housing officials and aging service providers told the Joint Committee on Elder Affairs the Commonwealth should expand a Somerville pilot into a statewide older‑adult bridge subsidy to prevent eviction, displacement and homelessness among low‑income older adults.
Somerville officials and their community partners described a small pilot that pays prospective rents and arrears so seniors can remain in their apartments while they wait for long‑term subsidized housing. Ellen Schachter, director of Somerville’s Office of Housing Stability, told the committee her office received 55 older‑adult…
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