The City of Watertown provided the following information:
Watertown’s Department of Senior Services is thrilled to announce they have been selected to receive a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grant. They are one of only 343 grantees selected (out of 3,300+ applications!) from across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Watertown Department of Senior Services for this investment to make Watertown a more livable for residents of all ages,” stated Lydia McCoy, Watertown’s Director of Senior Services “AARP is a nationwide leader in making communities more livable and we are honored that they see the tangible value this project will bring to our area.”
Tenancy Preservation and Community Support Program for Older Adults in Watertown, MA
The City of Watertown’s Senior Service Tenancy Preservation and Community Support Program is a compassionate initiative dedicated to providing crucial support to seniors and their families in Watertown, MA. Our mission is to ensure that older adults aged 60 years or older can age in place with dignity and security, fostering intergenerational, livable communities where residents of all ages and backgrounds thrive together. This program will be run out of the City of Watertown’s Department of Senior Services.
The Watertown’s Council on Aging (COA) Senior Case Manager will be working directly with seniors and their families to complete applications for assistance. Financial assistance through this grant is limited and prioritizes seniors who have limited resources and are facing housing instability due to the housing crisis. The COA Senior Case Manager will provide case management support and application assistance for other state and federally funded financial assistance programs for seniors, like RAFT, SNAP and LIHEAP.
Program Components
Eviction Prevention: Providing compassionate counseling and support services to empower families in navigating eviction challenges and accessing legal assistance when needed.
Financial Assistance: Extending grants of up to $2,000 per family to cover rent arrears, repairs, or cleaning services essential for maintaining their tenancy.
Landlord-Tenant Mediation: Engaging skilled mediators to facilitate constructive dialogues between landlords and tenants, fostering understanding and mutually beneficial agreements.
Information and Referrals: Connecting residents with a network of community resources, including legal aid, financial counseling, and social services, to address root causes of housing instability.
About the AARP Community Challenge
The AARP Community Challenge grant program funds innovative, quick-action projects that inspire change in areas such as public places; housing; transportation; digital connectivity; community resilience; and more. With additional funding support provided by Toyota Motor North America, the program is also increasing its investment in pedestrian safety projects that will improve streets and sidewalks, create vibrant pedestrian infrastructure, engage community members and much more.
This is all part of AARP’s nationwide work on livable communities, which supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and counties across the country to become great places for all. AARP believes that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; affordable and accessible housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents to participate in community life.
To learn more about the projects being funded by the AARP Community Challenge across the nation, including all 343 granted projects this year, visit www.aarp.org/livable-communities/community-challenge.
You can also view an interactive map of current and past AARP Community Challenge projects and AARP’s Livable Communities work at www.aarp.org/livable-communities.
This is great news for this 71 year old, 20 year Watertown resident who is concerned about my housing future.