Housing

LGBTEI Senior Resource Guide for Housing

The LGBT Elder Initiative (LGBTEI) was founded in 2010 to support and sustain the lives of LGBT older adults.  As part of its mission, the LGBTEI produces and distributes the LGBTEI Senior Resource Guide.  This portion of the Guide is devoted to Housing Resources.
In survey after survey, LGBT seniors cite affordable, safe, welcoming and friendly housing as a primary concern as they age.  This Guide has been developed in order to help seniors and their friends and families identify housing that meets their needs. 
The LGBT Senior Housing Resource Guide is new and will grow and change as we receive your feedback.  To begin this process, the LGBTEI has concentrated on four major categories of housing: independent living community, life care community, personal care/assisted living community and nursing homeMore categories will be added in the future.
For this first edition of the Guide, we asked consumers and Aging and LGBT service providers to recommend housing resources that are LGBT-friendly.  So, what is “LGBT-friendly”?  For this Guide, we define LGBT-friendly as a place that you would feel comfortable recommending to a friend or loved one who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.  There is no requirement that a housing resource have specific non-discrimination policies, culturally sensitive forms, staff training, etc.  It should, in your opinion and/or experience, be LGBT-friendly.
Because our definition of LGBT-friendly is broad, we ask that you keep us informed about the housing resources listed in this Guide.  Whether you have a positive or a negative experience with any of the resources listed in this Guide, please let us know.  Be as detailed and specific as possible with your comments. 
We also ask that you inform us about other housing resources that you think are LGBT-friendly.  New resources that you recommend can be in one of the categories already mentioned, or in another category altogether.  The information that you provide will be shared with other people just like you.
You can recommend a new housing resource, or comment on a resource already listed in the Guide, by emailing the details to us at info@lgbtei.org.  You can also visit our web site at www.lgbtei.org and comment in the section provided. 
This LGBTEI Senior Resource Guide for Housing will grow and change with your input, so please keep us informed.

Independent Living
A residential living setting for senior adults that may or may not provide hospitality or supportive services.  In this setting, the senior adult leads an independent lifestyle that requires minimal or no extra assistance.  Residents usually have complete choice in whether to participate in a community's services or programs.

Retirement Communities
Dunwoody Retirement Village, 3500 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square , PA, 19073
            610-359-4400
Maris Grove, 100 Maris Grove Way, Glen Mills, PA, 19342
            610-558-1497

Subsidized housing for low income seniors,
American Postal Workers House, 801 Locust, 801 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
            215-925-9090
Anderson, John C. Apartments, 251 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19107
            267-428-0269, 877-399-0247
Casa Farnese, 13th and Lombard St., Philadelphia, PA, 19147  
215 735-3858
Grace Court, 550 South Lansdowne Ave., Yeadon, PA, 19050
            610-623-3083
Kate's Place, 1929 Sansom St., Philadelphia, PA, 19103
215-568-0304


Rental Buildings (not exclusively senior)
Abbott Square, 2nd & South Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
            215-625-9950
Ben Franklin House, 9th & Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
            215-734-1297
Chestnut Arms, 4039 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104
215-382-1300
The Chancellor, 206 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
            215-735-8404
The Cosmopolitan, 221 S. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA
            267-217-1413
The St. James, 7th & Walnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
            215-574-8500

Condominiums (not exclusively senior)
Academy House, 1420 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA, 19102
            215-735-9096
C enter City One, 1326 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA, 19107
            215-735-6600
Gypsy Lane Condominiums, 4000 Gypsy Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129
215-844-4276
Hopkinson House, 604 South Washington Sq., Philadelphia, PA, 19106
215-923-1776
One Independence Place, 6th & Locust Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
            215-925-2902
Kennedy House (co-op), 1901 J F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
215-568-7012
Symphony House, 440 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19146
            215-735-2010
The Philadelphian, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19130
            215-232-7400
2101 Cooperative, 118 South 21st St. , Philadelphia, PA, 19103
215-567-1780
William Penn House, 1919 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19103
215-568-4926


Life Care Communities
(also known as continuing care communities)
Provide a continuum of support from independent living to assisted living to nursing home care.

Cathedral Village, 600 E Cathedral Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19128
215-487-1300
Foulkeways, 1120 Meetinghouse Rd, Gwynedd, PA, 19436
215-283-7009
Kendal at Longwood, 1109 East Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA, 19348
610-388-7001
Senior Suites, 2101 New Hope St., East Norriton, PA, 19401
610-272-6200
White Horse Village, 535 Gradyville Rd., Newtown Square, PA, 19073
610-558-5000


Assisted Living
(also known as personal care communities)
A special combination of housing, personalized supportive services and health care designed to meet the needs -- both scheduled and unscheduled -- of those who need help with activities of daily living.  Skilled nursing or care for the critically ill is not provided.

Kendal at Longwood, 1109 East Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA, 19348
610-388-7001


Nursing Homes
(also known as skilled nursing homes)
These facilities provide skilled nursing and rehabilitation for the critically ill and people needing significant rehabilitation therapy following illness, surgeries or accidents.

Bishop White, 600 E. Cathedral Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19128
215-487-1300
Brinton Manor, 549 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA, 19342
610-358-6004
Broomall Manor, 43 Church Lane, Broomall, PA, 19008
610-356-3003
Dunwoody Care Center, 3500 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA, 19073
610-359-4400


Anti-discrimination laws and policies
The Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status (i.e., presence of children in the household). The Fair Housing Act does not specifically include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. However, this type of discrimination in housing may be covered under Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) program regulations intended to ensure equal access of LGBT persons.
If you believe you have experienced (or are about to experience) housing discrimination, you should contact HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for help, toll-free, at (800) 669-9777.  You may also file a housing discrimination complaint online at  www.portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/housing_discrimination
Additionally, you should contact your local HUD office for assistance with alleged violations of HUD program regulations.
Finally, many state, city, and county laws specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. You may wish to contact your state or local human rights agency to determine coverage under those laws.  Some of those agencies are:

AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 600
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-587-9377

Mazzoni Center Legal Services
21 South 12th Street · Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-563-0652

Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations
Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission
Center City Office
The Curtis Center
601 Walnut Street, Suite 300 South
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-686-4670 
TTY: 215-686-3238

North Philadelphia Field Office
601 W. Lehigh Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19133
215-685-9761

Senior Law Center
100 S. Broad St., Suite 1810
Philadelphia, PA 19110
1-877 – PA  SR LAW (1-877- 727-7529)
215-988-1244

Lambda Legal Defense
120 Wall Street, 19th Floor
New York, NY  10005-3904


Accessing subsidized housing for low-income senior citizens
There is no central location to register for government subsidized, low-income housing.  In order to apply for this type of housing, you must apply separately at each housing location.  Waiting lists for these housing units can be years-long.  Plan ahead and apply for a place on the waiting list far in advance of when you will qualify based on your age or need.


DISCLAIMER
The LGBT Elder Initiative does not endorse, recommend, or attest to the quality of, any of the resources listed in this Guide.  This Guide is an informational listing only.

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