Homeless Older Adults Program
Older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population. Adults over age 54 without children make up almost half of our region’s homeless. These seniors are three to four times more likely to die than any other age group without housing.
The Homeless Older Adults Program offers a comprehensive network of services designed to help older adults obtain and maintain permanent housing.
Housing & Supportive Services
Depending on eligibility and funding availability, services may include:
- Rapid Rehousing assistance
- Individualized Housing Stability Plans
- Housing navigation and housing search assistance
- Landlord engagement and mediation
- Financial assistance for eligible housing-related expenses, including rent, utilities, transportation, and other housing stabilization needs
- Case management focused on long-term housing stability, including connections to:
- Primary healthcare
- Mental health services
- Substance use recovery supports
- Income and public benefits
- Identification documents and I-9 housing and employment eligibility documentation
- Community-based resources
Advocacy & Systems Improvement
The Homeless Older Adults Program is committed to strengthening the systems that serve older adults experiencing homelessness. Program staff actively participate in regional housing and homelessness planning efforts, collaborating with community partners to improve access to housing and supportive services for older adults.
As part of this commitment, the HOA Program hosts the Senior Advisory Board with Lived Experience (SABLE), a quarterly forum where older adults who have experienced homelessness within the past five years share their experiences, identify service gaps, and provide recommendations for improving housing systems. Feedback gathered through SABLE is shared with local housing providers, community partners, and Continuum of Care (CoC) leadership to help inform policies, strengthen services, and promote housing solutions that better meet the needs of older adults.
Senior Services participates in the regional Singles Service Coordination Committee, the Coalition for Homeless Elders, and is a member of the Southeastern Virginia Homeless Coalition.
At the heart of every initiative is our commitment to ensuring older adults have equitable access to safe, stable housing, and the resources needed to thrive.
How to Help: Give a Welcome Home Basket
Older adults moving into permanent housing can be overwhelmed by start-up expenses. Help a formerly homeless older adult make a successful transition by donating a Welcome Home Basket, complete with all the essentials for their new home. This is a great community service project for an office, civic league, church, classroom, or other group interested in giving back.
Housing Resources
| Housing & Homeless Services | |
| Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight, Southampton | 757-587-4202 | Virginia Beach | 757-227-5932 | Portsmouth | 757-966-2107 | Department of Human Services |
| Norfolk | 757-664-6000 | Virginia Beach | 757-385-3200 | Chesapeake | 757-382-2000 | Portsmouth | 757-405-1800 | Franklin | 757-365-0880 | Southampton County | 757-653-3080 | Suffolk | 757-514-7450 |
| Social Security Administration | 1-800-772-1213 | National Hotline for Homeless Veterans | 1-877-424-3838 | Local Resources | 2-1-1 |
Notice of Privacy Practices
We collect personal information directly from you for the reasons that are discussed in our Notice of Privacy practices. We may be required to collect some personal information by law or by organizations that give us money to operate this program. Other personal information that we collect is important to run our programs, to improve services for homeless persons, and to better understand the needs of homeless persons. We only collect information that we consider to be appropriate.
The collection and use of all personal information is guided by strict standards of confidentiality. A copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices is available to all clients upon request.