20. Housing
As a key area of focus, housing is defined as personal residences that are affordable, accessible, and integrated.
More than 80 percent of older Texans owned their own home in 2004 and 2008.
Table 20.1 Home Tenure
| Do you rent or own your current residence? |
Percent of respondents 2004 |
Percent of respondents 2008 |
| Own - mortgage paid/do not make monthly payments |
60% |
58% |
| Own - still make mortgage payments |
21% |
23% |
| Rent |
16% |
16% |
| Rent free situation |
3% |
4% |
| Total |
100% |
100% |
Affordability
Among older Texans, 56 percent reported spending one-third or more of their income on housing costs that include rent/mortgage, housing insurance, utilities, taxes, and other combined.
Table 20.2 Housing Costs as a Share of Income
| What percent of your income…do you spend for all household related expenses? |
Percent of respondents 2004 |
Percent of respondents 2008 |
| Less than a third |
45% |
44% |
| One third to one half |
36% |
35% |
| More than one half |
19% |
21% |
| Total |
100% |
100% |
In 2008, 42 percent of older Texans reported knowing where to go if they needed help with housing related expenses.
Property taxes can be a financial burden on older adults. Texas communities have special homestead exemptions that ease the burden of property taxes. Current state law provides for the freezing of school taxes on the homesteads of Texans 65 and older and provides a local option for freeing taxes of other jurisdictions. The 2008 survey found that 78
percent of older Texans were aware of property tax exemptions for people age 65 and
older.
Adequacy
The adequacy and condition of housing facilitates aging-in-place. Yet, some older adults live in homes, both rental and owner-occupied, that are in substandard condition and require repair and rehabilitation.
Approximately 15 percent of older Texans reported in 2008 that their home's structure, heating and cooling systems, or electricity or plumbing needed substantial repair. Twenty-nine percent of older Texans did not know where to go for help in making these types of home repairs.
Accessibility
Accessibility improvements refer to architectural design elements that make it easier and safer to perform daily activities (e.g., accessible entrances, doors, light switches, cabinets) and home modifications that include adaptations designed to accommodate physical impairments (e.g., handrails, grab bars, ramps, elevators, stair lifts, call devices).
Housing accessibility helps to facilitate aging-in-place.
Table 20.3 Accessible Home Features
| Does your home have….? (all that apply) |
Percent of respondents 2004 |
Percent of respondents 2008 |
| An accessible entrance (no-step or ramp, wide door) |
62% |
63% |
| Accessible interior walkways (wide interior doorways/hallways) |
66% |
69% |
| Reachable light switches/thermostats, electrical outlets |
80% |
76% |
| Kitchen layout with open floor space, removable cabinets etc |
61% |
54% |
| Bath layout with open space, shower, grab bars, low cabinets |
49% |
49% |
| Features that would accommodate visual/hearing impairments |
29% |
26% |
The 2008 survey found that 14 percent of Texans age 60 and older reported that their home's doorways, hallways, kitchen, bathrooms, and closets needed substantial modification to make it easier to get around inside. Thirty-eight percent of older Texans did not know where to go for help in making these types of home modifications.
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Updated:
April 11, 2012
