CT seniors find themselves homeless amid housing crunch: ‘I just want a roof over my head so bad’

For years, Angela Matthews led a comfortable middle-class Connecticut life, working as a preschool teacher while raising a family in a spacious three-bedroom suburban house with a lovely front and back porch.

Then the troubles started. She left what she described as a bad relationship and moved in with her mother. Soon her mother died, leaving her with nowhere to go. Along the way, she was diagnosed with cancer and developed sciatica in her leg, which prevented her from working.

Today, at age 64, Matthews is homeless, living at Open Doors shelter in Norwalk. She continues to search for housing but can’t afford much on her fixed income…

Amid a sharp rise in homelessness over recent years, spurred by rising rents and a dearth of available units, advocates and service providers have observed a disturbing trend: particularly notable increases among older residents, some of whom are showing up at shelters for the first times in their lives…

At Open Doors in Norwalk, director of homelessness and housing supports Jason McCants said he’s noticed a clear uptick in older residents.

“It’s just a sign of the times now,” McCants said. “If you’re on Social Security and you’re getting the minimum amount, it’s not going to cut it.”

Read more at https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/elderly-homelessness-seniors-housing-connecticut-19660867.php