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Care Scout

The playbook, in plain language

Distilled from a deep research sweep of federal, state, and county senior-housing programs. Not legal or financial advice — a family field guide.

  1. 1 · Know her number: the AMI tier

    Almost every program gates on income vs. Area Median Income. ≤30% AMI (Extremely Low) unlocks the deepest subsidies and priority; ≤50% (Very Low) covers most programs; ≤60% opens most LIHTC properties. Assets under the HOTMA cap (~$105k, 2026) are fine. Find the local AMI table on HUD's income-limits page for her county.

  2. 2 · There is no single application

    Every building and every housing authority runs its own waitlist. The winning strategy is volume + earliness: apply to every Section 202 building, LIHTC senior community, PHA list, and project-based property within reach — 15+ lists is normal, not excessive.

  3. 3 · Claim every preference

    Elderly preference, disability preference, local-resident preference, veteran status — each one moves her up the list. Read every application for its preference checkboxes and claim all that apply.

  4. 4 · Watch the windows

    Housing Choice Voucher lotteries can open for only a few days every few years. Sign up for every PHA's notification list, check monthly, and have her document packet (ID, Social Security award letter, bank statements, income proof) ready to file within 24 hours of a window opening.

  5. 5 · Never get dropped

    Waitlists purge people who miss a renewal letter or a document request. Keep addresses current with every list, respond to any mail within days, and do the annual 'still interested' confirmations. This is the tracker's whole job.

  6. 6 · Stack the benefits underneath

    SSI/SSP, Medicaid (Medi-Cal), IHSS in-home care, PACE, SNAP, LIHEAP, and Medicare Savings Programs stack with any housing subsidy. Screen them all at once at benefitscheckup.org — most families miss half of what they qualify for.

  7. 7 · Where to find everything

    HUD Resource Locator (federal properties) · AffordableHousingOnline.com (LIHTC + waitlist status) · the local Public Housing Authority · Eldercare Locator (eldercare.acl.gov) for the Area Agency on Aging · dial 211 for county-level programs · nonprofit operators' own directories (Mercy Housing, National Church Residences, Volunteers of America, HumanGood).

The one-line strategy: get on as many lists as possible, as early as possible, claim every preference, respond to every letter fast — and let the tracker make sure nothing slips.