What is the age for "senior" apartments?
Senior age-restricted apartments are usually 55 or 62+ and follow HUD regulations which allow for such "age discrimination." If restrictions are 55+, at least one person in the apartment must be at least 55 and the apartment community must have no more than 20% of all residents under the age of 55. If they are 62+, then ALL residents must be at least 62.
Exceptions are made by HUD regulations for renters who are under the minimum age if they are disabled.
Who are renters?
There are those among the senior rental population who have been renters through their most or all of their adult life. Other renters have sold a home of many years and moved to an apartment. Sometimes a life occurrence forces the shift from homeowner to renter:
Interesting facts about seniors and renting:
Thank you for your answer to my age restriction question on senior communities. It was complete and clear!
from Mac, happy visitor to SeniorResource.comCategories of Senior Apartments
The three pricing categories of apartments (although all may not be available in any one market) are:
Market rate is just that. They offer unit size and numbers of bedrooms and baths as non-age-restricted rentals in the area at a competitive monthly price, or occasionally 10-15% under general age-occupancy market-rate rents. The senior orientation of the age-restricted community may, however, offer different amenities and other advantages geared to the needs and preferences of seniors.Above market rate, luxury rentals also serve the age-restricted market. They are appealing to the affluent senior wanting a "home" in a second city, or wanting to be free of maintenance without giving up luxuries. Some high-end age-restricted properties definitely offer "snob" appeal.
Affordable apartments for seniors (sometimes 55+, more often 62+) are in high demand and short supply. Social, cultural, and medical changes have certainly contributed to the need.
Contributing factors are:
Per HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) "Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care. An estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more than 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing. A family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States."
Government programs have created affordable apartments since the 1930s. What is defined as affordable in one community may not match the definition of affordable in another community.
The most commonly-known rental vouchers are Section 8 vouchers, which can provide renter-based benefits to a qualified renter. They offer rent subsidies so tenants who hold them do not pay more than 30 percent of their adjusted gross income for rent.
To find out about affordable housing opportunities in an area, contact city or county housing agencies. Local senior centers and Area Agencies on Aging may also be able to identify affordable housing or even outline the steps for getting onto waiting lists. Because of the undersupply, waiting lists prevail in almost all regions for affordable rentals.
Things to Consider When Apartment Shopping
The three pricing categories of apartments (although all may not be available in any one market) are: