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Throughout its history, the Committee has published a number of reports on aging issues.
A PROGRESS REPORT
When the New York Citizens’ Committee on Aging held its May 2007 Forum Under the Radar: Old and Poor in a City of Riches, we indicated that our efforts to address the critical issue of elder poverty in New York City would not stop with the Forum. Since the Forum and more recently the economy’s decline, the plight of the elderly poor has become a more serious concern than ever. Moreover, a new Poverty Measure developed by the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity estimates the poverty rate of older New Yorkers is 32%. During this time, the Committee has taken the following steps in its Initiative to Address Elder Poverty Project:
A Task Force to Reduce Elder Poverty in NYC was established in September 2007 to look at the priority issues impacting on older New Yorkers in poverty and develop preliminary policy recommendations to address them.
An ad hoc workgroup analyzed the recommendations of the Task Force and proposed that the Committee focus its efforts on four key issues affecting the City’s older population:
- Providing income security and employment opportunities;
- Strengthening the existing social safety-net to prevent individuals from descending into poverty;
- Expanding affordable housing options and supports;
- Reducing the financial burden often associated with serious health conditions and/or disability.
During the summer, meetings were held with key legislators and policy makers to get advice on what policies or actions they thought might be achievable and what may not.
The Committee presented testimony on elder poverty in New York City at a hearing of the New York State Economic Security Cabinet on July 31, 2008.
An Action Meeting of Committee members and representatives of outside organizations was held on October 1st to review our recommendations and determine strategies and the different venues for publicizing them.
The Committee has also played a key role in the revival of the SSI Coalition and co-chairs that coalition.
A final briefing report, containing our recommendations, and based on meetings and input from other organizations is now being drafted for publication.