Lilian’s story is heartbreaking. During Covid, there was a lot of funding to get homeless people into hotel rooms, but many of those programs have now closed. Lilian ended up back outside, sleeping at a bus stop.
Lilian was accepted into a 6-month respite care program, which has her off the street at the time of this interview, but if she doesn’t find stable housing soon, Lilian will be back outside.
Elderly homelessness is a growing issue across the United States, including in Oakland. The city has faced a surge in homelessness in recent years, including among seniors. Contributing factors include high housing costs, a lack of affordable housing units, and insufficient resources to address the needs of the homeless population.
