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Relying on Anecdotes?

A recent article [Feb. 27, “Guilford Housing Authority Says Seniors Running Out of Options for Affordable Housing”] stated that Guilford Housing Authority Executive Director Angela Ross, in a desire for more public housing for seniors, commented that lower-income seniors are running out of options for affordable living spaces, are in increasingly desperate need of affordable living spaces, and that many are facing homelessness while others are living in cars or have been foreclosed on.

The article suggests the town is ready to expand public housing. Does the town have hard data for the following questions or is it relying on anecdotes?: How many seniors live in their cars? How many seniors are facing homelessness? How many seniors’ homes have been foreclosed?

Here is some hard data documented by Data USA. In 2017, the largest demographics in poverty in Guilford were women aged 55 to 64, followed by women 45 to 54, followed by males 25 to 34.

Factor into building more public housing: Property taxes in Guilford continue to increase every year.

Nancy Ward

Guilford