Lewisville invests in senior rental assistance program
LEWISVILLE (CBSNewsTexas) - A North Texas city has created a new program to help some of its most vulnerable residents deal with skyrocketing rent prices.
Denton County officially has one million residents and as the population continues to go up, so does the cost of housing.
The City of Lewisville is putting more than $120,000 into a new Senior Rental Assistance Program to make sure elderly people living on fixed incomes don't get priced out of their homes.
"It's a cause of fear and concern and terror that we don't know if we'll be able to afford to live in our present residences," said Nancy Sansom, an 82-year-old Lewisville resident.
She says the situation is so dire, many seniors are choosing to cut back on needed medications or go without food in order to pay the bills.
"Right now, it's out of control," Sansom said. "It's like a Wild West show. Anything goes in the rent market, I don't care who you are. They don't care."
Sansom recently went back to work at a grocery store to help make ends meet after her senior apartment complex raised the rent. She knows several others in their 80s – or even 90s – forced to come out of retirement and take different jobs.
Sansom has been organizing other seniors to bring attention to the struggle.
"If they know about the very shameful circumstances seniors are in – if they know about it, maybe they'll do something about it," said Willie Peterson, an 83-year-old Lewisville resident who has been working with Sansom to contact elected officials and push for change.
The City of Lewisville's new program is being administered by Christian Community Action and the United Way of Denton.
So far, the majority of applicants are 80 years and older. They've seen their rent go up anywhere from $75 a month to $500.
"Having that significant jump when you're on a fixed income really raised a lot of concerns for this population," said Olivia Mata-Williams with the United Way of Denton County. "For every $100 rent increases, it's a 9% likelihood increase of their chance of entering homelessness."
The program provides relief in the amount of the increase in rent between lease terms through the remainder of the current lease.
You may be eligible for assistance if:
- You are 62 years old or older
- You rent within Lewisville city limits
- Your rent has increased between lease terms
The United Way will have staff at the Lewisville Public Library, 1197 W. Main Street, on Tuesdays from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from noon-4 p.m. to help seniors complete the online application.
"It is a blessing," Sansom said. "We feel so grateful."
She hopes more cities in Denton County and beyond recognize the critical need and take action.
