Recognizing that service coordinators in affordable senior housing properties play an invaluable role in linking residents to benefits and resources in the community and supporting them as they age, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs surveyed owners/property managers of 1,182 affordable senior housing properties to assess the availability of these positions.

These properties represented over 104,000 housing units for seniors including:

• Federally subsidized public housing properties operated by local housing authorities and targeted to seniors.
• State subsidized public housing properties operated by local housing authorities and targeted to seniors
• Federally subsidized affordable housing for seniors operated by private organizations.
• State subsidized private affordable housing properties for seniors operated by private organizations
• Properties with both federal and state funding streams operated by private organizations.

The full results of this survey, which received a 66% response rate, are available here and some of the findings are listed below:

• 493 properties (63%) reported having a Service Coordinator
• For those properties with Service Coordinators, these staff spent an average of 20 hours per week onsite in the housing
• Most housing agencies used their own resources (e.g., property’s operating budget, residual receipts, tenant rent, excess income) to pay for the Service Coordinator. Some housing agencies participated in the DHCD/EOEA Supportive or Congregate Housing programs, which provided funding for Service Coordinators.
• State-administered Public Housing reported the lowest percent of Service Coordinators though this housing type represents the most properties (and housing units) for older adults in the Commonwealth