Council’s $5 million allocation for repairs and infrastructure upgrades will make older adult centers safer and more accessible for seniors 

Jamaica, NY – Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, advocates, and seniors celebrated the Council’s first-ever capital funding initiative to support older adult centers across the city in need of renovations and repairs. The Council allocated $5 million in the City’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget for the initiative to support making centers safer and more accessible to New Yorkers they serve. Many centers require building fixes and upgrades, including repairs to bathrooms, floors, HVAC systems, kitchens, accessibility improvements, appliances, furniture, and other infrastructure needs. 

“Seniors are the jewels of our communities, and it’s critical that we invest in the resources and services that meet their needs,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “The Council is proud to allocate $5 million in the city budget to fund improvements and repairs for older adult centers, including centers in my district in Southeast Queens. With New York City’s older adult population growing, and essential benefits for our seniors under attack by the Trump administration, it remains vital that our city steps up its support for our elders. I thank my Council colleagues, advocates, and all stakeholders for their partnership to ensure our seniors can age in place with dignity and grace.” 

This funding comes after the Council advocated for increased resources for older adult centers in its FY 2026 Preliminary Budget Response and secured several restorations and baselined services for older adults in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget. These include $104.5 million in baselined funding to ensure continuity of older adult services, in addition to nearly $5 million baselined to increase home delivered meals reimbursement rates, and $2 million for case management.  

Older adult centers provide critical services for the city’s rapidly growing older adult population, including meals for those facing food insecurity, health and wellness programs, and a place for older New Yorkers to connect and thrive. They help combat isolation and financial insecurity through meal services, social events, and other assistance programs, so that older New Yorkers can age with dignity in their own neighborhoods. New York City’s 65-and-older population has grown by nearly half a million in the last two decades, an increase of over 50 percent. Overall, one in five of the city’s older adult population is living in poverty. Over the last decade, older adults receiving cash assistance grew from 10% to 15% of the total population. Additionally, many older adults report feeling high levels of loneliness.   

“Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Adams and our city’s robust network of older adult advocates and service providers, the City Council was able to secure long-awaited funding to ensure our city’s older adults have a safe and accessible place to call their second home,” said Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the Committee on Aging. “Throughout my tenure in the Council, I’ve visited dozens of older adult centers across the city to see first-hand the conditions of older adult centers. Some have state-of-the-art equipment and others are in older buildings that need significant repairs. This funding will ensure the city’s older adult centers can serve the growing population of older adults for decades to come.” 

“Older adult centers are key components of our communities that serve as an important hub for gathering and provide services that reduce our state’s Medicare & Medicaid burden and help older adults age in place,” said Kevin Kiprovski, Director of Public Policy at LiveOn NY. “It’s crucial that we fully fund older adult services to ensure that all of us can age with dignity, and we applaud Speaker Adams for this first-of-its-kind investment in New Yorkers’ futures.” 

“This investment by Speaker Adrienne Adams and the New York City Council is a powerful affirmation that our older adults truly matter,” said Wai Yee Chan, President & CEO of Homecrest Community Services. “At Homecrest, we see every day how safe, welcoming, and well-designed spaces empower older adults to stay active, connected, and independent. The addition of new room partitions will greatly improve our ability to host multiple programs at once — from exercise classes and cultural workshops to health education and social activities — all within the same center. These thoughtful improvements will allow us to serve our older adults more effectively and create a more engaging and enriching environment where they can continue to thrive.” 

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