Aging in Place: DC Council Passes the Safe at Home Act of 2015

On Tuesday, September 20th, the Council of the District of Columbia unanimously approved the Safe at Home Act of 2015. The Safe at Home (SAH) Act provides grant funding for income eligible DC residents to modify their homes for mobility and safety to accommodate their physical disabilities. The SAH Act is a major step for the District in recognizing and addressing the needs of the city’s elderly and disabled population, and allowing for greater support of this population to age in place and remain in the community. The SAC is thrilled to see the progress of the SHA Act and pleased that some of our members proposed the demonstration program that started earlier this year with great success. We are also proud to recognize that Tori Goldhammer, the former SAC Coordinator and dedicated advocate for the aging and disabled community, is now the program manager for the Safe at Home program of the DC Office on Aging. It is the mission of the SAC to seek safe, affordable and accessible home settings for DC’s senior population, and we look forward to future legislation that supports this mission. For more information on the Safe at Home program please visit http://lims.dccouncil.us/Legislation/B21-0316 or http://dcoa.dc.gov/page/safe-home