If you’ve been walking and driving around Saratoga Springs lately, you’ve had to stop, look and listen and notice a mighty lot of building going on. It got us to thinking about housing. We are both fortunate. One of us has lived in a comfortable house with a nice back yard for over twenty years. The other happened by happy accident to discover a pleasant, reasonably priced apartment complex some ten years ago. But what about our fellow 55 plus citizens in the area? How much of this new building surge will house them?

For the next two weeks we will explore housing options for seniors living in Saratoga Springs.  This week we wondered what is out there in the marketplace. Next week we will explore creative approaches developed around the country and right here at home.

We thought this would be a simple research project for week one. Not so. Finding available housing for those of us 55 years old and older is much more complicated. And we learned it is full of misconceptions. So listen up and we will take you house hunting.

What about public housing, you ask. The Saratoga Springs Housing Authority is responsible for public housing regulated by the Federal Government. It is important to know that here are three designations for public housing: low income, work force housing and senior housing/disabled.

In Saratoga Springs there are three public housing projects: Stonequist, Jefferson Terrace and Vanderbilt Terrace.  Not one of these three projects is designated as senior housing. However, they all hold the designation of low income housing. That means that an income criterion is used to determine eligibility to live in one of these projects. There are no age requirements for residence and tenants may qualify for Section Eight Tenant Vouchers to pay for rent. Section Eight vouchers are made available to individuals whose rent costs 30% of their income. Section Eight subsidizes the individual tenant, not the project.

Many people mistakenly think that Stonequist is designated as senior housing. Not according to Ed Spychalski, head of the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority. Approximately 50% of the residents are 62 years old or older, 12% are 55 years old to 62 years old and the rest are under 55.

The remaining housing projects in the city of Saratoga Springs are all privately owned. For example, the Ray Watkins project is privately owned, but federally subsidized. The Westview Apartments, considered affordable housing, are privately owned and developed for tenants 55 years and older. Recently completed, the facility was built to fill a demonstrated need, under New York State regulations, for this category of housing in Saratoga Springs. Tenants must not exceed maximum annual income limits to qualify. Rent does not include utilities. Section Eight vouchers may be used to pay rent.

Embury Apartments, part of the Wesley Corporation, are privately owned and designated as senior housing. Applicants who wish to become residents of Embury must be 62 years old if single, or one person in a couple must be 62 years old. Embury was built with some HUD community renewal dollars of Section 236 establishing an income criterion of low to middle income for residents. Please note that Embury provides no care and does not admit people who need assistance due to a disability. Residents must be independent when making application. 

Also part of the Wesley Corporation complex is Woodlawn Commons, private non-profit housing for people 62 years old and over. Rent is determined based on the current market rate. The facility has 40 enriched living units and 60 independent units. The enriched units include services such as medication, dressing and bathing assistance and housekeeping. Residents in these units also have access to rehabilitation services and skilled care provided by other components of the Wesley Corporation. Tenants in the independent units may access services on an a la carte basis.

In addition to the above options there is a trend toward developing upscale communities for residents 55 years old or older. They can be apartment complexes or individual homes. Several of these  types of housing options are available in the Saratoga Springs area. But the problem with this type of housing is that it is often built in an area that involves driving to all services and activities.

Unfortunately, age-designated projects create homogenous communities. Every Sociology 101 course tells us that in diversified communities, the aging live longer and younger generations learn more. The interaction of generations stimulates and strengthens a community.

So why are we building isolated housing units in the middle of nowhere for people who may not be able to drive forever or safely drive after dark? Why are we building communities that are self- contained for people who are still vigorous and contributing members of the society?

We suggest that planners and developers read some history about institutions for the mentally ill or mentally retarded.  These isolated residents suffered from the old “out of sight, out of mind” conundrum.  Yes, many senior housing complexes are “out of sight, out of mind”. Even if some transportation is provided to services, there is nothing like being independent. 

If you walk the streets in residential areas of big cities, like New York, you will see many aged citizens out walking to some destination. They can because they live in the city and the services are just up the block or around the corner. There is nothing like walking in a neighborhood, being recognized and knowing that at least a half-dozen people have acknowledged you and know that today you are out and about.

Next time you are walking on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, look up. The top floors of many buildings are unused, empty. We wonder how hard it would be to install elevators in some of them. A lot of us older folks would love to live high up over a busy streetscape, knowing we could still take an elevator ride down to the action when we wanted to.