This June, we’re returning to a conversation we helped bring forward last year: the urgent need for affordable, affirming housing for LGBTQ+ seniors. In 2024, SV@Home hosted a discussion with Eden Housing and Supervisor Ken Yeager to spotlight the planned East Santa Clara Street affordable community in San Jose, which will include 64 units of housing intentionally designed to support LGBTQ+ older adults. That conversation offered critical insight into the lived experiences of this population—from the deep anxiety many feel around housing stability, to the painful reality of relying on their chosen family for support after a lifetime of discrimination and estrangement. The panelists also shed light on the thoughtful design decisions that went into planning a space where residents can simply be themselves—spaces that prioritize safety, community, and visibility. 

While projects like this are deeply needed, they remain incredibly rare. Across the country, only a few dozen housing developments explicitly serve LGBTQ+ seniors, and even fewer are affordable. In California, standout examples include the Ariadne Getty Foundation Senior Housing in Los Angeles and the Lavender Courtyard in Sacramento. Developed by Mutual Housing, Lavender Courtyard offers 53 affordable homes for low-income and formerly unhoused seniors, creating a model that centers both equity and inclusion. Projects like this show what is possible when we invest in housing that responds directly to community needs—and they point the way forward for efforts like the East Santa Clara Street community here in Santa Clara County.

Still, developing these kinds of projects comes with significant challenges. Fair housing regulations require that no one be excluded from access, even as developers seek to market to a community with specific historical traumas and unmet needs. Outreach must be both broad and intentional, and services must be culturally competent to support the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ senior population. There are also systemic issues: a lack of funding specifically tied to LGBTQ+ housing, rising development costs, and the broader societal failure to plan adequately for the “silver tsunami”—a term coined to describe the rapidly growing older adult population.

Despite these challenges, the need for more LGBTQ+ senior housing is evident and growing. These projects are about more than just housing; they are about dignity and belonging. They recognize the unique histories of LGBTQ+ elders, and they offer a future where those who have long been marginalized can safely age in community. As we celebrate Pride Month, we recommit to supporting housing solutions that reflect the full diversity of our region—and to ensuring that no one is left behind in our shared vision for an inclusive Silicon Valley.