Testimony to the New York City Council on LGBTQIA+ Older Adults

New York City Council
Committee on Aging: Chair, Council Member Hudson
Committee on Women and Gender Equity: Chair, Council Member Cabán
June 21, 2022
Oversight - The Challenges Facing LGBTQIA+ Older Adults

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

LiveOn NY’s members include more than 110 community-based nonprofits that provide core services which allow all New Yorkers to thrive in our communities as we age, such as older adult centers, home-delivered meals, affordable senior housing, NORCs, and home care. LiveOn NY is also home to the Reframing Aging NYC Initiative, part of the national Reframing Aging Initiative aimed to counteract ageism and improve the way policymakers, stakeholders, and the public think about aging and older people. With our members, we work to make New York a better place to age.

Background

In New York City, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) older adults are the pioneers of the LGBTQIA+ movement who stood at Stonewall and paved the way for the younger generation. LGBTQIA+ older New Yorkers refuse to be invisible yet face unique and serious obstacles as they age, with many LGBTQIA+ people facing years of stigma and discrimination throughout their lives. Too often, LGBTQIA+ older people have thinner support networks, creating a growing demand for LGBTQIA+ affirming community-based services and care that are culturally competent in understanding the challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community. These services include LGBTQIA+ affirming housing developments, access to affordable healthcare services, programs that support individuals living with HIV/AIDS and other community-based services such as Older Adult Centers and Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs).

Community-based organizations including our members, SAGE, Queens Community House, which operates the Queens Center for Gay Seniors, DOROT, which offers an Intergenerational LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group, and others, are a trusted source for older adults and provide critical services for LGBTQIA+ people. Yet the City can do more to support LGBTQIA+ older adults and fund services that address the disparities impacting older adults including LGBTQIA+ older adults.

All New Yorkers deserve the ability to age in community with access to equitable services regardless of their zip code and background. To create a city that supports all New Yorkers, the City must make long-term investments in older adults and community-based services that supports LGBTQIA+ older adults, and empower and uplift a community that for too long has been invisible.

Recommendations

Expand Access to Equitable LGBTQIA+ Affirming Services

The City should ensure that LGBTQIA+ competent aging services are offered in a culturally and linguistically competent manner to better reach LGBTQ+ older adults including communities of color. Due to the thinner networks, many LGBTQIA+ older adults rely on community-based services to access critical support. Yet, LGBTQIA+ older adults are often disconnected to critical services, such as LGBTQIA+ affirming health services and aging services as well as face concern about discrimination from staff and others at traditional older adult centers, long-term care and other aging services.

The City should continue to support new models of service including grab-and-go meals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity among older adults was deeply exacerbated by issues not only economic, but related to access as older adults were required to “stay at home” to reduce the chances of contracting COVID-19. New models of service such as grab-and-go were critical and successful in ensuring older adults, including LGBTQIA+ older adults, who may not be comfortable congregating due to COVID risks, or for personal reasons are less willing to meet their nutritional needs by eating at an Older Adult Center, have the option to take their meal home, a decision that ensures one’s nutritional needs can be met in the environment of one's choosing.

In addition, LiveOn NY also recommends the City expands LGBTQIA+ competent mental health services for older adults to combat loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Often, there are few opportunities for LGBTQIA+ older people to socialize in age-friendly and LGBTQIA+ inclusive environments, resulting in nearly 60% of LGBTQIA+ older people feeling a lack of companionship and over 50% reporting feeling isolated from others[1].  In recognition of this, LiveOn NY appreciates Speaker Adrienne Adams prioritization of this issue during her recent State of the City address, by calling for increased government support for initiatives to create more diversity among mental health professionals to increase access to care for LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants and communities of color.

Invest in Affordable Housing

The City must invest in LGBTQIA+ affirming affordable housing. Across the City, older adults face difficulties with finding affordable housing with rising rent prices and over half of older New Yorkers are rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on rent. The housing crisis in New York City is particularly acute for older adults including LGBTQIA+ older New Yorkers as many rely on fixed incomes, making it difficult to afford the rent while other costs continue to rise. In addition, much of the City’s housing infrastructure is inadequate to accommodate an older adult’s health and mobility needs, with 70% of the City’s housing stock only navigable by at least one set of stairs.

LiveOn NY recommends the City allocates funding to develop 1,000 units of affordable senior housing with services per year. While the Adopted Budget included investments to support affordable housing programs, the City needs to go further to fully address the need for affordable senior housing. The investment of a minimum target of 1,000 new units of affordable senior housing with services per year, is part of a total target to construct no fewer than 8,000 new units of housing dedicated to serving extremely low income and homeless households annually, as called for by the United for Housing coalition. As waitlists and limited housing stock pose an acute challenge for older New Yorkers, a considerable investment and consistent unit targets per year will be critical to paving a pathway out of this crisis.

LiveOn NY also recommends the City increases increase the per unit reimbursement rate for the City’s Senior Affordable Rental Assistance (SARA) services from $5,000 per unit, to $7,500 per unit, to fund two housing staff positions at each building to provide support for the residents to more adequately address social isolation and significant case assistance needs.

Today, nearly one-third of LGBTQIA+ older people live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, compared to a quarter of non-LGBTQIA+ people as shown in the recent SAGE and AARP New York report, “Disrupting Disparities: Solutions for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers Age 50+.”  All older New Yorkers should have access to safe and affordable housing yet many older LGBTQIA+ older adults fear having to re-closet to access senior housing. No one should have to hide who they are to access equitable housing especially as the majority of older adults would prefer the opportunity age in their community, surrounded by the networks of support built over a lifetime.

The City must double down on its commitment to provide affordable housing for LGBTQIA+ people. To address this crisis the City:

• Preserve existing affordable elder housing including supporting LGBTQIA+ welcoming affordable elder housing with adequate funding to address the disparities faced by LGBTQ+ elders.

• Develop new LGBTQ+ affirming housing options and innovative LGBTQIA+ elder housing models.

Expand Data Collection

The City should improve the LGBTQIA+ data collection to understand the needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults. Many older people and LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers will remain invisible until the City enhances its efforts to collect, analyze, and report LGBTQIA+ and age-inclusive data. In particular, a lifetime of discrimination has adversely affects LGBTQIA+ people, particularly, people of color from racial inequality to anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination that create barriers in safely aging in community.

LiveOn NY recommends the City should improve data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity to better identify and address health disparities and aging services gaps among LGBTQIA+ older people of color. Collecting more and better data is essential to understand disparities in our communities. The lack of data puts policymakers in unknown territory as they craft policies that have the potential to significantly affect the lives and wellbeing of older and LGBTQIA+ people including people of color.

Additionally, LiveOn NY strongly supports the Council Member Hudson and Council Member Caban’s new legislation, which would establish a commission on LGTBQIA+ older adults within the Department for the Aging (DFTA).

It’s critical the City works to ensure all LGTBQIA+ older adults have access to equitable LGTBQIA+ services to safely age in community. This bill would establish a commission for LGTBQIA+ older adults within DFTA who would help to identify challenges, share best practices, and develop expert recommendations on ways to improve the quality of life of LGBTQIA+ older adults. LiveOn NY appreciates the diversity of voices represented on the commission including community-based organizations to understand the needs of the LGTBQIA+ community.

Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

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[1] Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., The Aging and Health Report: Disparities and Resilience Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults (2011)

Adopted FY 2023 City Budget Recap

LiveOn NY's Advocacy Secures Critical Funding for
Older New Yorkers and Community-Based Organizations

This week, the Adams Administration and the New York City Council, under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Chair Justin Brannan passed the Adopted City Budget for Fiscal Year 2023, totaling in $101 billion in spending. This budget moves the aging services sector in the right direction, from a significant human services workforce investment to additional funding for home-delivered meals to keep older adults fed.

LiveOn NY gives our thanks to all who advocated for the needs of older New Yorkers during this year's budget negotiations, including to Chair of the City Council Aging Committee, Council Member Crystal Hudson. We also give our deepest thanks to our members and our partners in advocacy. Whether you participated in LiveOn's Advocacy Day, joined our social media actions, reached out to your Council Member, or called for #EquityforAging and #JustPay, you made each and every gain possible.

Nonetheless, we know that there is still work to be done and we are committed to continuing to fight to make New York a better place to age in the coming years.

Below, see a recap of funding related to LiveOn NY advocacy priorities and of note to our sector.

Please note that the below is based off of the information currently available, we will continue to update this for accuracy as new details are released.

Funding wins resulting from the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget, City Council’s Preliminary Budget Response, and the Mayor’s Executive Budget, include:

• Continued commitment to the previously announced home-delivered meal reimbursement rate increase totaling $2.3 million in new funding in FY22, and $9.4 million in FY23.

• $14.9 Million, baselined, for Recovery Meal Transition, encompassing $8.8 million for home-delivered meals, and $6 million for case management.

• $3.2 million, baselined, for Geriatric Mental Health expansion.

Funding wins resulting from the Adopted Budget include:

• $60 million in baselined funding for human services workers.

  • This is in response to the 5.4% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) or $86 million that LiveOn NY and partners, led by Human Services Council, had advocated in the Just Pay campaign. Note this represents total funding available, but does not discern the details of how funds will be allocated across programs, positions, and organizations, all of which are critical details. We will share as we learn more about how this funding will be implemented.

• $3 million in one-time funds for IT education for older adults.

• $3 million in one-time funds for case management.

• $6.2 million in one-time funds for Recovery Meals Transition.

• $5 Billion in "Support for the New York City Housing Authority and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development affordable housing programs"

• $19.2 Million for "Additional staff and services at Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD)."

• $8.6 Million for Language Access Expansion.

• $14 Million to "Increase access to benefits by expanding capacity for community-based organizations."

City Council Discretionary funding wins and updates include:

In addition, LiveOn NY is pleased to see restored funding for all aging discretionary initiatives, with a slight reduction for NORCs of $309,299 taken in FY22 and carried into FY23.

This funding is critical and includes initiatives such as: Support Our Seniors, NORCs, Social Adult Day Care, LGBTQ Senior Services in Every Borough, Senior Centers for Immigrant Populations, and others. LiveOn NY will work with our partners to understand the impacts of the NORC discretionary funding reductions and will share as we know more.

Click here for the full Discretionary Funding "Schedule C" Document 

LiveOn NY is proud of the progress made, and even more proud to advocate for this incredible sector. We look forward to continuing to work together to make New York a better, more equitable place to age.

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LiveOn NY continues to analyze the budget for additional details of interest to our sector, the above represents our analysis based off of the information currently available. We will update this for accuracy as new details emerge.

Questions?

Katelyn Andrews, Director of Public Policy and External Affairs, at kandrews@liveon-ny.org
or
Brianna Paden-Williams, Communications and Policy Associate, at bpaden-williams@liveon-ny.org

Our City Budget Advocacy Continues: #JustPay Rally and Testimony to City Council

On Tuesday, May 25, 2022, LiveOn NY joined our partners and members in advocating for a budget that supports all New Yorkers as we age.

First, LiveOn NY joined the Human Services Council led #JustPay rally at City Hall Park, calling on Mayor Adams to fund a 5.4% cost-of-living-adjustment for all City contracted human services workers.

The rally brought hundreds of supporters to City Hall with the goal of uplifting this essential workforce, and demanding our fair share of the budget. Our thanks to Council Members Althea Stevens, Nantasha Williams, Tiffany Caban, Sandy Nurse, Kevin Riley, Julie Menin, Erik Bottcher, and Lincoln Restler for joining this event.

Check out highlights from the Rally, including pictures of our incredible members that joined the event, below:

Please feel free to send additional pictures from the event to kandrews@liveon-ny.org to be included above.

Check out coverage from the event, featuring our member, Queens Community House: Queens Community House joins City Hall rally demanding ‘Just Pay’ for nonprofit workers

In addition, LiveOn NY submitted testimony to the New York City Council Finance Committee in response to the Executive Budget, calling for both Just Pay for human services workers, as well as investments that support #EquityforAging, such as investments in home-delivered meals, housing, and community care.

During the hearing, we were proud to hear testimony from members such as SAGE and Encore Community Services provided testimony on the needs of older New Yorkers.

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Continue to join our fight for #EquityforAging and #JustPay

You can continue to advocate for older adults in the New York City Budget by filling out the linked form below. In just a few minutes, you can you send a letter to Mayor Adams and your in-district Council Member calling for key investments aimed at better supporting older New Yorkers living in the five boroughs.

In addition, please continue to email Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and Mayor Eric Adams to include the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in the City budget!

You can find email templates, created by the Human Services Council, for each office, below:

• Mayor Adams Email Template

• Speaker Adams Email Template

• Finance Chair Brannan Email Template

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Questions?
Please contact Katelyn Andrews at kandrews@liveon-ny.org or
Brianna Paden-Williams at bpaden-williams@liveon-ny.org

Highlights from LiveOn NY's 27th Annual Aging Advocacy Day

On Thursday, May 5th, LiveOn NY hosted our 27th Annual Aging Advocacy Day and week of Advocacy Actions. During the event, roughly two hundred older adults and aging service professionals took to the steps of City Hall to demand their fair share of the City budget.

Thank you to the following Council Members who joined us and gave remarks during this event:

• Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the Committee on Aging,

• Council Member Gale Brewer, Chair of the Committee on Oversight & Investigations,

• Council Member Linda Lee, Chair of the Committee on Mental Health,

• Council Member Carlina Rivera, Chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice,

• Council Member Darlene Mealy, Chair of the Subcommittee on Senior Centers and Food Insecurity,

• Council Member Amanda Farias, Chair of the Committee on Economic Development,

• Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Chair of the Committee on Higher Education,

• Council Member Erik Bottcher, Co-Chair of the Manhattan City Council Delegation

Thank you to each and every older adult, professional, and advocate who joined us, both at City Hall and on Social Media, in making some noise to urge the City to support #EquityforAging and #JustPay.

And a special shoutout to our members who spoke, Larinda Hooks, Elmcor Youth & Adult activities, Inc., Todd Fliedner, Bay Ridge Center, Shehila Stephens, Encore Community Services, and Alston Green, an older adult participant of SAGE.

In addition to our Advocacy Day Rally, LiveOn NY spearheaded other advocacy opportunities during our Advocacy Week, giving older New Yorkers and our members more ways to fight for the funding that aging services deserve.

These opportunities included an #EquityforAging Tweetstorm, Calls to City Council Members, and a Letter Writing Campaign.

Our advocacy doesn't stop here

You can continue to advocate for older adults in the New York City Budget by filling out the linked form below. In just a few minutes, you can you send a letter to Mayor Adams and your in-district Council Member calling for key investments aimed at better supporting older New Yorkers living in the five boroughs.

LiveOn NY encourages professionals to share this opportunity with your clients, encouraging all stakeholders to participate! Through increased participation, we can make our voices heard on the need for Equity for Aging and Just Pay in this year's budget.

Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget Recap

Last weekend, the delayed Fiscal Year 2023 State budget deal, totaling approximately $220 billion in spending, was passed. Read the Governor's press release on the budget, here.

Below, see investments related to LiveOn NY advocacy priorities and of note to our sector:

• $500 Million for Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), at 5.4%, for state contracted human services workers, the first significant COLA in years. This was the result of the Human Services Council led Just Pay campaign, which LiveOn NY is proud to support. We will continue to work to follow implementation of this investment, which will take time and will determine exactly which workers are covered under this investment. In addition to this State investment, it is critical that the City also provide a COLA for human services workers in its budget.

• $25 Billion 5 year housing plan, including $300 million for affordable senior housing. The plan seeks to create and preserve over 100,000 affordable homes, including 10,000 homes with supportive services for targeted populations.

• $110 Million for the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI).

• $3 hourly raise for home care workers, phased in over two years, a meager response to the Fair Pay for Home Care campaign, which called for home care wages to be set at a minimum of 150% of the minimum wage.

• $50 Million for the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program.

• $800 Million for Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP).

• $250 Million for utility arrears.

• $2.25 Million increase for the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (LTCOP), significantly lower than the $20 million sought.

• $500,000 to support the creation of a Master Plan on Aging.

• Medicare Savings Program income eligibility limits will increase from 135% to 186% of the federal poverty level in January 2023. Learn more, here.

• Eligibility Expanded for Medicaid for undocumented older adults age 65+. Learn more, here.

Thank you to everyone who joined our advocacy this year, during which time more than 400 messages were sent to elected officials in support of new funding for aging services. In future years, we remain committed to advocating for items not included in this budget, such as new investments in home-delivered meals, case management, and services in senior housing.

LiveOn NY continues to analyze the budget for additional details of interest to our sector, and will share as new details emerge.

Questions? Please contact Katelyn Andrews, Director of Public Policy and External Affairs, at kandrews@liveon-ny.org