Help LW Cares Fund support those on fixed incomes

The Leisure World Cares Fund seeks to implement a housing cost subsidy program in Leisure World similar to the one in Senate Bill 37 that was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom late last year.

SB37 is the Older Adults and Adults with Disabilities Housing Stability Act. It cleared the California Legislature late last year. The bill claimed older adults are at the epicenter of California’s housing affordability and homelessness crisis with 40,000 people 55 years of age or older experiencing homelessness. It cited studies showing that renters receiving “shallow” housing subsidies of $200 to $500 per month are able to remain stably housed.

Fair market rents in California for an efficiency apartment start at $629 and quickly go way up. Compare that to the 2025 monthly maximum Supplemental Security Income (SSI), i.e., disability, payment of $965 and the average monthly Social Security Survivor benefit for Retired Worker of $1,832. The bill’s shallow housing subsidies aimed to keep household rent and utilities near 30% of income. In Leisure World by comparison, household costs include assessments by GRF and the Mutual, Orange County property taxes and fees and utilities. Using the median of the Mutual, assessments the monthly housing cost in Leisure World is around $825. That means housing costs account for 85% of income for a household on maximum SSI, and 45% for a household receiving average Social Security survivor benefits. Those households likely need a subsidy to stay in their home long term.

The Governor vetoed SB37 because he said it was not funded in the 2025 budget. The Leisure World Cares Fund depends on donations for funding, asks those who can afford it to join the effort to stabilize housing for those who do not and donate at www. lwcaresfund.org, email lwcares@lwcaresfund.org or call 562-2628280 to have the donation picked up.

Leisure World Cares is not affiliated with GRF in any way. —Nick Massetti