PinkNews: “More older LGBT people in need of affordable housing help than ever before”

Chair Paul Brand, Anna Kear, Sydney Kopp-Richardson (SAGE USA) and Tina Wathern (Stonewall Housing) speaking at the PinkNews Ageing Summit 2019, at Adelaide House in London. (Matt Crossick/PA Wire)

On May 14th Anna joined Sydney Kopp-Richardson from SAGE USA and Tina Wathern from Stonewall Housing on a panel at PinkNews’ inaugural Ageing Summit to discuss the housing needs of older LGBT+ people and how we can learn from each other and share best practices internationally. The topic was picked up by Harriet Williamson for PinkNews excerpted below.

“For LGBT+ people, particularly those who are vulnerable, elderly or on low incomes, housing is a huge social issue.

At the first-ever PinkNews Ageing Summit on Tuesday (May 14), Sydney Kopp-Richardson, director of the National LGBT Elder Housing Initiative at SAGE USA, raised the issues of poverty, xenophobia and immigration and the way these issues shut people out of accessing affordable housing.

SAGE currently provides LGBT+ friendly housing and a sage, affirming space for LGBT+ people in five boroughs of New York City.

Anna Kear, chief executive officer for Tonic Housing, said that we have the same hurdles to overcome in the UK when it comes to housing. She said that the way we access housing is all about wealth and income, and understanding the whole picture of where someone is coming from is crucial to providing safe housing.

Tonic Housing sets out to provide LGBT+ retirement communities for those who have perhaps lost social connections through leaving work, and LGBT+ people who want to live around others with whom they have something in common.” Read the full article on PinkNews.