Older Americans Month: How Habitat Chesco is Honoring Our Aging Neighbors Through Action

May is Older Americans Month, a time to celebrate our older adults' strength, resilience, and lifelong contributions. At Habitat for Humanity of Chester County (Habitat Chesco), we believe this recognition must go beyond kind words. It must translate into real, lasting action, starting with one of the most critical factors in quality of life: safe, stable housing.

We know that affordable housing isn’t just about building new homes. It’s about protecting and preserving existing homes, especially for aging homeowners who want to remain independent but often lack the resources to maintain their homes or access assisted living. These aren’t just houses. They are places filled with memories, community ties, and years of financial and emotional investment.

As housing costs continue to rise across Chester County, many older adults are facing a painful reality: they can no longer afford to live in the communities they helped shape. And with the soaring cost of senior living facilities, losing a safe, livable home often means a loss of independence. That’s not just a housing issue—it’s a human issue.

Whole Home Repair Program: Aging in Place with Dignity

At Habitat Chesco, we see our older residents for what they are: valued members of our society who deserve to age in place with dignity, security, and pride. 

Thanks to generous funding from the PA Department of Community & Economic Development and locally by the Chester County Department of Community Development (CC-DCD), we added a Whole Home Repair program to expand our mission. The program helps low—to moderate-income homeowners, including many seniors, stay in the homes they’ve worked hard to build.

Through this initiative, we’ve served 107 individuals, with another 59 people set to benefit from the 30 remaining projects currently underway. To date, we’ve completed 51 home repair projects that include essential upgrades such as:

• Roof replacements

• Plumbing and HVAC repairs

• Window replacements

• Waterproofing

• Safety-focused bathroom modifications (e.g., grab bars, walk-in showers)

• Accessibility improvements (e.g., railings, ramps)

These repairs are more than fixes—they’re critical lifelines that allow older adults to remain safe and self-sufficient in their homes. They help ensure that properties can be lived in longer, passed down to the next generation, or sold to help build generational wealth. Home repair aligns directly with our mission: to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter.

“Being able to provide these critical home repairs is an incredible blessing to each family. We are taking care of repairs that address the health and safety of the home and would otherwise not be possible. Folks in the community have reached out on behalf of friends and family because of the positive impact it has on the homeowners we serve and the community as a whole.”

— Brooke Seeger, Director of Community Programs

Our work doesn’t stop at new construction—it includes ensuring that existing housing stock remains livable and accessible, especially for older and long-time residents. In today's economic climate, these homes are often the only chance a family has to build intergenerational wealth. Preserving them is not only practical—it’s urgent.

The Importance of Affordable Housing

The need for affordable, stable housing doesn’t end with older adults. It now touches a much broader group of residents. With housing prices skyrocketing, many working individuals—teachers, first responders, nurses, and service workers—are also being priced out of the very communities they serve. Affordable housing is no longer just a low-income issue; it's a workforce issue. These individuals are essential to Chester County’s vitality and deserve a place to call home.

That’s why our mission at Habitat Chesco continues to evolve—not only building homes for the future but safeguarding the existing ones. When we repair and renovate, we are not just fixing a roof—we are restoring stability, preserving legacy, and reinforcing the foundation of a thriving, equitable community.

How You Can Make a Difference

At Habitat Chesco, building a stronger community takes all of us, and you don’t need construction experience to be part of the solution.

There are many ways you can support older adults and hardworking families right here in Chester County:

• Donate to help fund essential home repairs and affordable housing initiatives.

• Volunteer to support our builds, events, or community outreach efforts.

• Shop or donate to our ReStores in Caln and Phoenixville—keeping usable items out of landfills and funding our mission.

• Spread the word about the importance of housing affordability and aging in place.

• Advocate for policies that expand access to housing and protect vulnerable homeowners.

Together, we can ensure that safe, stable housing is within reach for everyone, at every stage of life.