B’nai B’rith International has long recognized the desperate need for safe, affordable housing for low-income seniors. Currently, we are the largest national Jewish sponsor of HUD-assisted housing for seniors in the United States, with 38 apartment buildings in 28 communities. We also sponsor six properties located in Canada (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver), as well as other facilities around the world in Great Britain, Australia and Israel.

Dating back to 1971, our domestic Senior Housing Network, funded though the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides a dignified, supportive lifestyle for more than 8,000 seniors of limited income without regard to race, national origin or religious preference. In order to fulfill our mission and standards of operations for each local property, B’nai B’rith national staff provides ongoing training, troubleshooting, programming and advocacy outreach throughout the national network. Additionally, B’nai B’rith volunteers provide guidance to each local building within a framework that reflects the needs of each individual community.

Building on our long-standing expertise in senior housing, our advice and counsel is sought on the global level. B’nai B’rith senior housing staff are considered experts on seniors issues, specifically affordable housing, and are routinely asked to present at senior housing industry events. In 2017, our staff presented at four aging conferences.

We have transformed the knowledge we have gleaned from our senior housing efforts and applied it to the legislative arena, keeping oversight on legislation that may impact the unique situation of the elderly, not only in the United States, but around the globe.

Listen to our podcast here with Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration Stephen Goss as we discuss the current state and future of Social Security.

Housing

We also bring our expertise on aging matters directly to the managers and residents of our senior housing facilities, teaching classes on such topics as fraud prevention and hosting anti-bullying campaigns.

The Annual Managers/Service Coordinators meeting was held June 7-9 in Philadelphia, with virtually all our senior housing network represented. Sessions included constituent services with representation from the offices of both U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania, an update from Randall Scheetz from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as sessions on best practices, risk management, supporting the formerly homeless, adapting to life in congregate housing and dealing with difficult residents.

B’nai B’rith, teaming up with representatives of the Elderly Housing Coalition (of which we are a founding member), took congressional staffers on tours of Section 202 buildings on three separate Mondays in May. The tours are part of an effort to highlight to Congress the importance of and need for more low-income housing. Properties visited included St. Mary’s Court and Samuel J. Simmons NCBA Estates in Washington D.C. and Homecrest House, a B’nai B’rith-sponsored property, in Silver Spring, Md. During these tours congressional staffers directly see the benefits of Section 202 housing and the service coordinator program, and see a property in person.

The B’nai B’rith team has been very busy on Capitol Hill all year, meeting with 18 Senate offices, 14 House offices and staff members on the Democrat and Republican side for the Senate and House Appropriations Committee which funds Section 202 buildings.

In June B’nai B’rith co-sponsored a rally to help save HUD Section 202 at the U.S. Capitol building. Lawmakers from the Senate and House spoke to show their support, including Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Rep. Al Green who represents constituents of the B’nai B’rith housing community.  

Additionally, in July B’nai B’rith was a partner for the Our Homes Our Voices, National Housing Week of Action. As part of this week of action Jeremiah Thompson, who is Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Regional director for Boston, took a tour of Irving B. Matross Covenant House in Boston, and answered questions from the residents of the building.

B’nai B’rith staff members also co-chair a subcommittee on income security for The Leadership Council of Aging Organizations.