Nonprofit targets ‘extreme shortage’ of senior housing

In 25 states, the organization operates 340 housing communities, she said.

In Middletown, National Church Residences operates four facilities: Trinity Manor, Woodlands on Lafayette, Mayfield Village and Dublin House. Those facilities have 241 units and house 235 residents with an average age of 72.

Hoping to better serve the state’s growing senior population, the organization is rehabbing or building 15 facilities with construction costs at $250 million, Rosenthal said.

Corri Page, public policy manager for the organization, said there is “an extreme shortage” of affordable housing for seniors. For every 100 Ohio seniors seeking affordable housing, there are 40 units available.

That shortage will continue to grow since U.S. citizens are living longer. Desiree Skidmore, services coordinator at Trinity Manor, said every day in the U.S. 10,000 people celebrate their 62nd birthday.

Hall said Ohio is “way behind” other states when it comes to available housing.

The goal of National Church Residences is to provide quality, affordable housing that allows residents to “age in place,” Skidmore said. That includes providing residents the necessary care, including visiting doctors, hospice care, home health aides and Meals on Wheels.

Rosenthal hopes Ohio legislatures can create state workforce housing credits that will allow seniors to be “properly housed with dignity.”

Hall applauded those at National Church Residences for gaining the trust of their residents.

“In today’s world, it’s hard to find people who care for your neighbor,” he said.

Hall believes now is the time for Ohio to invest more in some of its services, including those aimed at seniors. He said that state recently deposited $600 million into its “rainy day fund,” pushing the total to $4 billion.

He called this “an historic time” as the state recorded its lowest unemployment in history.

As the population continues to grow in Butler County with 390,000 residents, the eighth largest county in the state, Hall sees Middletown primed to “turn the city into the future.”