Big if True: Why Eviction Hits Older Adults Harder, Making them Vulnerable to Homelessness (November 3, 2021)

Older adults are uniquely vulnerable to eviction and the damages it causes, housing advocates and homeless service providers said. The financial costs, health consequences and cascading psychological effects of an eviction are more severe for older adults.

Since the pandemic, older adults have struggled to find new housing after an eviction, and homeless service providers in some communities have seen more people 65 and older who are unsheltered and living outdoors.

“But if (an eviction is) based on your income, which is lower because you don’t have adequate economic security in retirement, that is not something that the law protects you against,” said Patti Prunhuber, senior housing attorney for nonprofit advocacy organization Justice in Aging.