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The Affordability Crisis Facing NYC’s Older Adults

Event - December 2025

The Affordability Crisis Facing NYC’s Older Adults

On December 10th, the Center for an Urban Future will hold a policy forum that will explore how city efforts to tackle New York’s affordability crisis can ensure that older adults’ unique cost-of-living challenges are front and center, and the bold policy actions and investments needed to strengthen financial security, stabilize incomes, expand access to vital supports, and reverse the alarming rise in older adult poverty.

Tags: older adults financial security immigrants

 

 

 

 

The Affordability Crisis Facing NYC's Older Adults 
A Center for an Urban Future Policy Symposium

Wednesday, December 10, 2025
8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. 
The Greene Space 
44 Charlton Street

To attend in-person, RSVP via this link.
To watch the livestream, RSVP via this link. 

New York’s affordability crisis has finally begun to get the attention it deserves. But few New Yorkers feel the strain more acutely than the city’s 1.3 million older adults. Over the past decade, the number of older adults living in poverty has surged by 41 percent across the five boroughs, and today 18.4 percent of New Yorkers age 65+ live below the poverty line. Even more alarming, nearly one in five older adults report no income from Social Security at all—and many others are working longer out of necessity, struggling to keep up with rising costs and insufficient retirement savings.

This forum will explore how city efforts to tackle New York’s affordability crisis can ensure that older adults’ unique cost-of-living challenges are front and center. Panelists will discuss the bold policy actions and investments needed to strengthen financial security, stabilize incomes, expand access to vital supports, and reverse the alarming rise in older adult poverty.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Queens Borough President Donovan Richards
  • Council Member Shaun Abreu
  • Murad Awawdeh, President & CEO, New York Immigration Coalition
  • Grace Bonilla, President & CEO, United Way of New York City
  • Beth Finkel, NYS Director, AARP
  • Wayne Ho, President & CEO, Chinese-American Planning Council
  • Allison Nickerson, Executive Director, LiveOn NY

Details
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. (doors open at 8; program begins at 8:45)
@The Greene Space 
44 Charlton Street (between 6th Avenue and Varick Street)

To attend in-person, please RSVP via this link. 
To watch the livestream, please RSVP via this link. 

We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in our programs. For questions or requests regarding access and accommodation, please contact Sophia Tumolo at [email protected] at least 72 hours in advance of the program.

This symposium was made possible through generous support from AARP. We are also grateful for general support from The Clark Foundation, the Altman Foundation, and ongoing support from a number of other philanthropic funders.