June is Pride Month. But life can be difficult for LGBT seniors. Many have lost contact with their families and many don’t have children to help take care of them as they age. Often, the discrimination they have experienced throughout their lives doesn’t diminish with time.
Over 20,000 LGBT seniors live in San Francisco
In order to receive quality care and housing, some of the 20,000 seniors in San Francisco fear they may have to go back into the closet. Because of the lack of affordable housing, others worry they have to leave the city they love.
Openhouse-sf.org provides LGBT seniors living in San Francisco affordable housing and services. When the Openhouse Community at 55 Laguna opened in 2017, it was San Francisco’s first purpose-built LGBT-welcoming affordable housing for seniors. There are 40 senior apartments and next door is the Bob Ross LGBT Senior Center. When the new expansion of the community at 95 Laguna opens in 2019 (pictured above), there will be a total of 79 much needed affordable units and more than 8000 square feet of activity space. Together, it will be the largest LGBT affordable senior housing project in the nation.
Here’s their story:
