America's homeless ranks graying as more retire on streets

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-business-homelessness-phoenix-c27d2a3747c9ef180452ea09ae59b09b

America’s homeless ranks graying as more retire on streets
By ANITA SNOW

PHOENIX (AP) — Karla Finocchio’s slide into homelessness began when she split with her partner of 18 years and temporarily moved in with a cousin.

The 55-year-old planned to use her $800-a-month disability check to get an apartment after back surgery. But she soon was sleeping in her old pickup protected by her German Shepherd mix Scrappy, unable to afford housing in Phoenix, where median monthly rents soared 33% during the coronavirus pandemic to over $1,220 for a one-bedroom, according to ApartmentList.com.

Finocchio is one face of America’s graying homeless population, a rapidly expanding group of destitute and desperate people 50 and older suddenly without a permanent home after a job loss, divorce, family death or health crisis during a pandemic.

“We’re seeing a huge boom in senior homelessness,” said Kendra Hendry, a caseworker at Arizona’s largest shelter, where older people make up about 30% of those staying there. “These are not necessarily people who have mental illness or substance abuse problems. They are people being pushed into the streets by rising rents.”

[2naSalit]

1. K&R

Been there, done that. It sucks beyond belief.

[XanaDUer2]

2. How did you come out of it?

This is my biggest fear

[2naSalit]

4. It was a long,

Hard and painful ten months in my 4Runner (thank heavens I had that!) and then I managed to get a, sort of, job through a fed program (Experience Works - min. wage) that was not considered a job in the eyes of SSDI but was for section 8 housing so I finally got a place to live about five weeks before the SSDI was determined in my favor.

At the point that the SSDI determination was made, I quit the job. I haven't had one since, but I am single and can, obviously, survive on about $200.00/mo if pressed, but not for long. It's not easy but you can earn about $1100./mo on while SSDI.

I will state that my SSDI case was an outlier because I never had to go to court to plead for my case, they called me on a Saturday and told me I was all done working. I had been denied 5 years prior so I went back to work in a lot of pain that whole time but when I was not able to find work without having to ask for reasonable accommodations without documentation, that was it and I reapplied with rapid success. (No matter what, it never takes less than 9 months to go from application to approval and you can't work during that time.)

[2naSalit]

12. You have...

Assets. That is good and bad. What I would suggest is to pare down on possessions and establish a more frugal lifestyle. We're all going to have to eventually anyway. That's what I did. I still have to purge stuff, I have no closets or cupboards in this living space so I have a storage where I keep the 4Runner and maybe 6x10 area of stuff that doesn't fit here. A great purge is in progress this spring.

I don't know what affect your financial assets will have on your SSDI award but it may reduce the amt. since you are still in your 50s. So one important thing I can tell you is that when your are asked if there is a specific time when your disability began, say that it is cumulative over time. That is an important term to use and it really matters, also memory loss, if you have that it works in favor of your claim.

Good luck, I was your age when I first applied, I got mine as I was turning 62.

[XanaDUer2]

14. Thanks

I'm hoping the attorney can move it along sooner than 62.

I can't believe this is my life now, but my doctor said tons of workers become disabled in this country.

I'm predicting long- term Covid will be the next wave of disabilities

[Skittles]

16. it's why "working until 70" is never a good plan

so many things can happen, and they do happen.....good luck to you

[XanaDUer2]

17. Thanks, Skittles

I would have to LOVE my career to go to 70. Lord.

I love how the SS statement tries to tempt you to work until 70.

It's a Republican wet dream- everyone works until they die and no one collects SS

[Skittles]

24. I have so far managed to stay in good health

but I know that is a combination of genes, good exercise habits and JUST PLAIN LUCK!

[2naSalit]

18. I do hope...

Since you already have an attorney and are in that path, I hope they are good. I don't have that experience to share so I won't even try.

We boomers are aging out and we have, most of us, worked our bodies beyond their capacity and need help until we're gone. I worked for over fifty years, I'm okay with collecting some of what I have contributed. I probably won't need it for all that long anyway, my prognosis is for a somewhat truncated old age and I'm good with it.

[haele]

20. Laz went on SSDI in 2005, financial assets and household income weren't considered.

The amount he receives is based on whether or not he can work.
If he makes over $600 a month at any job, he starts losing money until he hits $1350 a month in some sort of regular income, and then they will re-asess him and end his SSDI if this wasn't some weird coincidence of very late back pay or one-time refund type income.
MediCare/Medicaid are benefits that are asset based. Im not sure how an SSDI based application for MediCare/Medicaid is handled as opposed to Medicaid for the general public is handled.

Haele

[2naSalit]

21. Thanks!

I was not clear on that aspect, I confess. I just know that if I could work, I had a cap on how much before changes come.

I don't expect to get a lot older as my condition declines every year. I'm just going to enjoy doing what feel like doing from now on.

[jfz9580m]

22. I am sorry to hear you had it so rough

I also hope things get better for Xanaduer..

I find it heartbreaking...older people getting homeless. This is why some in my peer group (late thirties-early forties) are keeping retirement options in far cheaper Latin American countries etc. open as an option .

[CrispyQ]

3. Where is the "pro-life" crowd on this issue?

My bad. Once you're born, tough fucking shit. Sucks to be you.

[2naSalit]

5. ...

[CrispyQ]

6. Wow. I hadn't seen that one. -nt

[2naSalit]

13. It's an oldie.

Someone brought it to DU in the past few days because it still fits.

[RANDYWILDMAN]

10. This post is truth, inconvenient truth...

The people who support the unborn also like to control women and there is no doubt about that. Women who are poor and minority. women with money/power always will find a way to an abortion if they want one.

[MagickMuffin]

8. More of the older population should consider cargo vans turned into tiny homes

Been watching a lot of YouTube videos on the topic.

And a lot of older and younger single females going this route.

Traveling with their dogs and one woman had a goat!

She built this herself

I'd love to do this in my twilight years.

[maxsolomon]

9. She needs to get subsidized rent.

At $800/month income, she's far below 30% AMI for the area; she'll easily qualify.

The question is, how long is the waiting list in Phoenix?

[MissB]

11. The shift from pensions to 401k plans is probably partly to blame

Certainly the rising cost of housing in many markets does not help.

[XanaDUer2]

15. This nt

[JanMichael]

19. Ding ding ding. Defined Benefit pensions are so much better than Defined...

...Contribution stock pump and dump scams Ie. 401k.

I could see that contributing too older homelessness along with the casino rents happening all over now.