Senior Living on Southside -- Yes? No? (Auburn, Mountain Brook: low income, condo)

[magiccityluv]

Why not?

[Saskia Calico]

It's kinda funny because the actual empty-nester seniors I have known in B'ham have stayed in their big 3-4 BR homes in Mountain Brook and Hoover so that their kids and grandkids will have a place to stay when they come visit, as well as other family and friends. Not much room for company in a loft or other apartment.

Which is why I posted my question here. I know of only one empty-nester couple who moved to Southside from the 'burbs, and they, too, have a huge house (4BR). They would know nothing at all about living in a low-income senior apartment in any part of Southside other than their own neighborhood.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Saskia Calico

It's kinda funny because the actual empty-nester seniors I have known in B'ham have stayed in their big 3-4 BR homes in Mountain Brook and Hoover so that their kids and grandkids will have a place to stay when they come visit, as well as other family and friends. Not much room for company in a loft or other apartment.

Which is why I posted my question here. I know of only one empty-nester couple who moved to Southside from the 'burbs, and they, too, have a huge house (4BR). They would know nothing at all about living in a low-income senior apartment in any part of Southside other than their own neighborhood.

Just be careful in general when you're talking about low-income housing and walking around in Birmingham. The criminal element loves to prey on the elderly.

I don't really know about this housing you're speaking of. If it's hard to get around, you might try a smaller city in a super safe area. Downtown Birmingham, while safer than many think, is still not super safe. You do have to watch out.

You might try this place in Hoover: https://www.riverhighlands.com/

[Saskia Calico]

River Highlands looks lovely but it's Assisted Living and I want Independent Living. Thanks all the same.

[xray731]

Originally Posted by Saskia Calico

River Highlands looks lovely but it's Assisted Living and I want Independent Living. Thanks all the same.

This is the problem I see when looking for Senior housing down south. I'm not sure if they call it something different or if my blue state of NY just has more HUD housing for seniors available. There are at least 1-2 affordable senior housing facilities - usually converted closed schools in each community. Sometimes there is even more and rent is based on your yearly income.


That assisted living facility linked while beautiful - starts at $3000 a month for a studion - hardly something DH and I will be able to afford when our combined SS is less than that.

[Saskia Calico]

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

Well, I'm one of them. I, so to speak, walk the walk. And your post is all kinds of ridiculous.

First off, there is an enormous gulf between 'empty nester' and 'senior citizen.' We are empty nesters, but certainly not senior citizens. I'm not complaining about my sciatica, my social security check, or how woefully easy this up-and-coming generation has it.

I can't decide whether this post is hilarious or just offensively ignorant. I am a senior citizen. I don't have sciatica, I am very grateful for Social Security and have no reason to complain about it, and I don't think the upcoming generation (by that I mean the kids of today; I don't know what you mean) has it easy at all, although I do think they have much to be woeful about. Except they don't know any better, so they would probably disagree.

I do agree with you that you are certainly not a senior citizen since you evidently know nothing about what it is like to be one!

[Saskia Calico]

Originally Posted by xray731

This is the problem I see when looking for Senior housing down south. I'm not sure if they call it something different or if my blue state of NY just has more HUD housing for seniors available. There are at least 1-2 affordable senior housing facilities - usually converted closed schools in each community. Sometimes there is even more and rent is based on your yearly income.


That assisted living facility linked while beautiful - starts at $3000 a month for a studion - hardly something DH and I will be able to afford when our combined SS is less than that.

$3000 is 10 times what my rent is. Definitely not low-income, I agree.

I have seen a couple of low-income senior apartment communities in converted closed schools. I think it's an interesting twist -- schools built for young people, no longer needed, now serving retirees who need affordable housing. Great idea, IMO.

[xray731]

Originally Posted by Saskia Calico

$3000 is 10 times what my rent is. Definitely not low-income, I agree.

I have seen a couple of low-income senior apartment communities in converted closed schools. I think it's an interesting twist -- schools built for young people, no longer needed, now serving retirees who need affordable housing. Great idea, IMO.

This is something I had hoped to find down south and maybe they do exist but if you search senior community or senior housing - you get assisted living facilities.

The schools are great - 1 bdrm apts - the cafeteria does serve food at lunch and dinner for a nominal fee, they have laundry facilities, a library, the gym is used for social functions - bingo, guest musicians, they throw holiday and summer parties - again at a nominal fee, there is a bus that takes them shopping once a week for those who no longer drive, you can schedule van pickup for dr appts. There is a Walgreens across the street for meds, a small strip mall and a grocery store nearby.

They have a solarium where they gather in the bad weather to chat and they walk the halls for exercise even when it's blizzarding out. They also can take bus trips to the casino, out to lunch, the Falls ect - again for a nominal fee of $2-$5.

[Saskia Calico]

Originally Posted by xray731

This is something I had hoped to find down south and maybe they do exist but if you search senior community or senior housing - you get assisted living facilities.

.

Yeah, that is really a nuisance, I agree. You have to search HUD-subsidized senior housing. But even that is frustrating. The best thing, I have found, is to try one of these two websites:

This one lists by state and then by name of community and you have to scroll down to the ones labeled "elderly."

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/...nventorysurvey

The other HUD-listing site is currently being "upgraded" (and hopefully soon will be!) but it links to this site:

https://resources.hud.gov/

The worst thing I have found is the sites owned by companies such as A Place For Mom. They don't have a clue, and IME are useless.

[BamaDave]

It's a shame it's so difficult for seniors to find affordable housing. My grandmother lived for 30 years in subsidized housing for seniors, first in Memphis, then Chattanooga, and finally Cartersville, GA. The places do exist, but openings are limited. My Mom struggled to move my grandmother each time. She initially moved to Memphis when we lived there during the 1970's. Then we moved to New Orleans in 1981 and Atlanta in 1986. My Mom started trying to move her closer to Atlanta fairly soon after they moved there, but it took years to find the place in Chattanooga and more years to get her into the place in Cartersville. Seems like it shouldn't be such a struggle.