My Resolution on Home Repair Assistance Programs for Older Adults

Baltimore has a significant number of older adults aging in place. It is important that they are able to age in place with dignity. While some residents move to facilities as they age, the majority of our older adults cannot afford to do that. We must ensure they can age without the roof falling, the heat failing, or the water pipes breaking. 

Programs like Housing Upgrades to Benefit Seniors (HUBS) and the LIGHT program assist residents who are aging in place and cannot afford major home repairs. These and other programs have been operating for several years, helping hundreds of residents in our communities. These programs have demonstrated over time that assisting older adults with home repairs leads to better physical and mental health outcomes as they age. Moreover, we are seeing that the next generation will move back into Grandmom’s house, which builds wealth over time, and is a vacant property prevention strategy.

However, we are seeing backlogs in service for our older adults, complex applications for the programs, delays in permits for repairs, and increasing needs. 

This resolution calls for a hearing to understand the current needs of older adults aging in place, the work of the HUBS and LIGHT (or predecessor) programs, funding for these and related programs, and improvements to those programs to serve more residents, including:

• Number and type of home repair projects conducted since 2015 broken out by year.

• Funding allocated from ARPA and other city sources - both operating and capital

• Backlog of cases, including wait times

• Timing of the program flow from intake to completion currently, and where it should be

• Obstacles to assisting homeowners in repairing their homes. 

• Any other questions posed by the Baltimore City Council

I look forward to working with my colleagues to explore how these programs are working and how we can help them serve our residents most in need.