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Making a major investment to advance anti-discrimination protections for the growing number of older LGBTQ+ Americans, The Calamus Foundation of New York has awarded SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) $1 million to expand its national LGBTQ+ Elder Housing Initiative, launched in early 2015 to combat widespread discrimination against LGBTQ+ older adults in senior housing.

This path-breaking initiative was launched by SAGE in response to a research report last year documenting widespread discrimination against LGBTQ+ people seeking admission to or living in senior housing. The initiative engages consumers, providers, and policymakers to increase access to and create understanding and welcoming environments in housing for LGBTQ+ older people.

“As a long-time supporter, The Calamus Foundation of New York is proud once again to partner with SAGE to ensure LGBTQ+ people can age with dignity and have equal access to supportive housing and care as all other Americans,” said Louis Bradbury, Board President of The Calamus Foundation.

LGBTQ+ older people are currently faced with a nationwide housing crisis. A national research report published by the Equal Rights Center in 2014, with support from SAGE, found that 48% of older same sex couples applying for senior housing were subjected to discrimination. The effects of this rampant discrimination are further exacerbated by the fact that LGBTQ+ older people have lower incomes and less retirement savings than older Americans in general.

“SAGE is grateful for and inspired by this extraordinary grant from Calamus to eradicate housing discrimination against LGBTQ+ older people and ensure that our LGBTQ+ elder pioneers have access to housing where they are welcomed for who they are,” said Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. “Empowered by this anchor funding, SAGE’s national LGBTQ+ elder housing initiative will lead the way in addressing this housing crisis. We look forward to working with Calamus and SAGE’s other partners to bring this discrimination to an end.”

SAGE’s national LGBTQ+ elder housing initiative takes action by:

• Building LGBTQ+-affirming senior housing in select cities
• Training senior housing providers in fair and welcoming treatment of LGBTQ+ older people
• Changing public policy to end housing discrimination against LGBTQ+ older people and expand federal support LGBTQ+-inclusive elder housing
• Equipping LGBTQ+ older people with the resources they need to find— and advocate for—LGBTQ+-friendly housing in all its forms
• Expanding services that support LGBTQ+ older people who face housing challenges.

This post was originally published as a press release on July 10, 2015. Read more about our LGBTQ+ elder adult housing initiative.