Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky | Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky Official Website
Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky | Congresswoman Janice D. Schakowsky Official Website
WASHINGTON – On June 6, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip and a founding member of the Congressional Equality Caucus, led 19 of her colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marica Fudge raising concerns about the mistreatment and discrimination that many LGBTQIA+ seniors face in senior housing and urged the secretary to act.
“We commend the steps that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has already taken to support vulnerable populations. However, it is urgent we act to ensure that everyone has access to safe and supportive housing, and not forget about the needs of communities too often overlooked,” wrote the lawmakers. “This is particularly important for LGBTQIA+ seniors who disproportionally experience homelessness or housing insecurity, and particularly urgent for trans and gender non-conforming individuals, and Black, Indigenous, and other elders of color who are part of the LGBTQIA+ older adult community.”
According to SAGE, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ older adults, nearly half of older lesbian, gay, and bisexual couples experience discrimination when seeking senior housing and more than 30% of LGBT seniors fear having to hide their sexuality or gender identity to avoid mistreatment in senior housing.
“We encourage you to consider requiring HUD funding recipient organizations to collect feedback from LGBTQIA+ community groups as part of the housing planning and building process, as well as after housing is constructed,” continued the lawmakers. “We also urge the agency to prioritize organizations supporting LGBTQIA+ seniors, and organizations that have committed to working with the LGBTQIA+ community through inclusive practices and outreach, in the distribution of HUD housing funds.”
LGBTQIA+ seniors are more likely than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts to face housing insecurity and homelessness.
“We applaud the efforts HUD has already taken to protect the LGBTQIA+ community from housing inequity, and encourage HUD to explicitly clarify that the protections against sex discrimination in the Fair Housing Act include protections against discrimination on the basis of sex characteristics in addition to sexual orientation and gender identity,” concluded the lawmakers. “We urge you to continue this work while paying special attention to the plight of LGBTQIA+ seniors.”
The letter was also signed by U.S. Representatives Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Sean Casten (IL-06), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Sharice L. Davids (KS-03), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Al Green (TX-09), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Salud Carbajal (CA-24). William R. Keating (MA-09), and Dan Goldman (NY-10).
Original source can be found here.
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