The AHEPAN Spring 2021 - 27

HOUSING

At 30, AMC Hits Its Stride Despite Challenges
AHEPA Affordable Housing Management Company President and CEO Steve Beck
2021 marks AMC's 30th year of being a
committed provider of safe, dignified
affordable independent senior living and
affordable assisted living communities for
our nation's vulnerable elderly and disabled population. A mission-driven organization, AMC has developed and manages 91 affordable independent senior
living communities in 20 states that are
administered by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development's (HUD)
Section 202 program. The balance of
our company's portfolio includes four
affordable assisted living (AALFs) communities located in Indiana.
Arguably, at no time during these
30 years has a more challenging time
existed to meet the housing needs of
older adults with very low incomes.
First, a nationwide shortage of
affordable senior housing exists that
threatens this vulnerable population.
According to the National Council on

Aging, more than 25 million Americans
aged 60-plus are living at or below
250% of the federal poverty level (FPL)
of $29,425 per year per single person.
A Bipartisan Policy Center report noted,
" The current supply of housing that is
affordable to the nation's lowest-income
seniors is woefully inadequate. As more
low-income Americans enter the senior
ranks, this supply shortage - currently
measured in millions of units - will
become even more acute. "
HUD's January announcement that
it will make $150 million available to
support the development of new affordable multifamily rental housing through
grants administered by the HUD 202
program is an exciting and important
step toward addressing the affordable
housing shortage and well-being for
very low-income seniors. With this
opportunity, we are eager to grow our
mission. We invite your chapter to learn

Peter Murdakes, a housing board member of AHEPA 78 Senior Apartments, Merrillville,
Indiana, receives a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shot from Walgreens Pharmacist Stephanie
Rosado. (Photo credit: Kale Wilk/The Times). The image appeared twice during a January 31,
2021 60 Minutes news broadcast.

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more about how to sponsor an affordable senior living community. If interested, please contact AMC Director of
Development Todd Jensen, tjensen@
ahepahousing.org. HUD's announcement is only a step, however, and
we expect many more to be taken to
address affordable elderly housing.
Second, the coronavirus pandemic
presented an unprecedented set of challenges to our mission. We have not been
impervious to the devasting impact of
Covid; however, we also have been resilient. Our residents' health and safety
throughout the pandemic has been
our priority. Our participation in the
CDC's Pharmacy Partnership for Longterm Care Program ensured our residents would have priority access to the
Covid-19 vaccine. The vaccine is to be
celebrated, and we appreciated the federal government for making affordable
elderly housing communities a priority
in the initial phase of distribution. We
have collaborated with pharmacies such
as CVS and Walgreens to ensure we were
prepared properly for the distribution of
the vaccine in our communities, based
upon each state's order of prioritization,
to help protect one of our nation's most
vulnerable populations and to limit the
virus's spread. Moreover, we are proud
and excited that news of our residents
and personnel receiving the COVID19 vaccine earned nationwide media
placement, including in 16 of the top
100 media markets; and a 60 Minutes
broadcast, with a viewing audience of
over nine million, used one image taken
at our vaccination clinic twice.
Covid fatigue is real. Senior isolation is also real and a cruel element

Spring 2021 · THE AHEPAN

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The AHEPAN Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The AHEPAN Spring 2021