A Long Island elder law attorney can provide help to seniors in making plans for their golden years. As seniors get older, it becomes increasingly important to learn about benefits, programs, and services that can help them to maintain community connections and have the highest possible quality of life. There are many such programs in and around the Long Island area, and some of the services and supports available to seniors not only include things like transportation, classes, or meals, but also include help finding affordable housing. 
Just recently, for example, News Day reported that the Islip Town Board has approved plans for an affordable housing complex that is intended to specifically provide a housing solution for LGBTQ seniors.
If you or a loved one is getting older, it can be hard to keep track of the different supports and benefits that exist. Mark S. Eghrari & Associates, PLLC can help.
We can work with you not only to understand the different programs targeted towards seniors but also to make sure you can qualify for benefits that you might need such as Medicaid to cover nursing home care costs. To find out more about how a Long Island elder law attorney at our firm can help you, give us a call today.
New Housing Complex for LGBTQ Seniors Approved
According to News Day, the new housing complex will aim to provide affordable housing solutions to seniors identifying as lesbians, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The complex will also be open to LGBTQ allies.
The Islip Town Board officials voted unanimously in favor of approving the project to construct the new housing complex. The complex will contain a total of 75 units and the expected costs of the complex will total around $30 million.
The Islip Town Supervisor indicated that the approval of the project was part of a long tradition. “The Town of Islip has a long, proud history of addressing affordable housing needs. I was happy to support this senior housing complex,” she said in a statement.
A site plan review is the next phase, and building permits will also need to be obtained before the project can move forward. The housing will be built in downtown Bay Shore and it will be located next to the community center that is currently run by the LGBTQ Network. In addition to the 75 affordable housing units for LGBTQ seniors, the new construction will also include a new 8,000-square-foot community center for the LGBTQ network.
The chief executive of the LGBTQ network has described the new senior housing development as the first of its kind in Long Island that is specifically catered to provide affordable housing options for LGTB seniors and their allies. He indicated that it is an especially important milestone because many LGBTQ seniors only were able to come out of the closet recently because they grew up at a time when there was still rampant discrimination.
Many LGBTQ seniors have expressed concern that if they had to move to a traditional senior living facility, they would have to once again hide who they were and go back into the closet for fear of being excluded or harassed. With the construction of a new center that is specifically designed to be welcoming to LGBTQ seniors and their allies, this will no longer be a concern. There is substantial demand among seniors for these communities, with the LGBTQ Network indicating that there have been more than 500 inquiries into the complex since the idea was first announced in October of 2014. The delay came because the original developer became ill, but now the project will be moving forward.
Construction is expected to start in June of 2018 and will continue through 2020 at which time seniors will hopefully begin being able to move into the affordable housing units.
Getting Help from a Long Island Elder Law Attorney
No matter what your situation, it’s important to ensure that you put plans in place for where to live as a senior. You need to consider both quality of life and cost of living when you decide where the most appropriate place is for you to live. Mark S. Eghrari & Associates, PLLC can help you to be prepared to cover costs of nursing home care if you need to move into care facility and can also help you to take advantage of benefits and programs available to seniors. To find out more about the assistance we can offer, give us a call at (631) 265-0599 or contact us online.
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