Collins, Casey, Brown Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Grandparents Raising Children Live in Safe, Affordable Housing
More than 2.7 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents and other relatives
Bipartisan Grandfamily Housing Act would fund retrofitting, upkeep of intergenerational housing to reflect needs of grandparents and relatives raising grandchildren
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Grandfamily Housing Act, legislation that would improve housing for grandfamilies. Many grandparents step in when parents are no longer able to care for their children and often live in intergenerational housing units. The Grandfamily Housing Act would provide grants to enable housing providers to make retrofitting and accessibility improvements to intergenerational housing to best support the needs of older adults raising children.
“Raising a child is challenging enough, but for grandparents it can be especially daunting. Yet so many grandparents are stepping in to provide care and stability for their grandchildren,” Senator Collins said. “Our bill recognizes the unique challenges faced by grandparents who have taken on the role of caregiver and aims to provide them with the necessary resources to succeed. By supporting grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, we can better ensure that every child has a safe and nurturing home to grow up in and a greater opportunity to reach their full potential.”
“Grandparents and caregivers who take up the mantle to raise children and provide them with safe and stable homes should be supported every step of the way. This legislation would ensure grandfamilies are able to live in homes that are safe and accessible and ensure both older adults and younger children alike can thrive in their communities,” said Senator Casey.
“I’m proud to introduce this bill to support families where grandparents are the primary caregivers, helping them find housing, afterschool activities, and other support services,” said Senator Brown. “Investing in and caring for our children, and ensuring they have a safe and stable place to call home, will help keep families together.”
Approximately one in five grandfamilies live at or below the federal poverty line. The majority of subsidized and market-rate senior residences do not permit children to live in their buildings, which makes existing intergenerational housing units even more critical. However, few intergenerational housing programs have the support and resources to address the unique needs of grandfamilies. The Grandfamily Housing Act would establish a pilot program that would provide grants to non-profits, for-profits, public housing, Section 202, and Section 8 project-based rental assistance programs to improve intergenerational housing programs and communities.
Read more about the Grandfamily Housing Act HERE.
###
