LGBTQ+ Friendly Senior Housing Planned For White Plains

WHITE PLAINS, NY — A 140 unit affordable senior housing development — that will be friendly to the LGBTQ+ community — is being planning for downtown White Plains.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer was joined Wednesday by members of the county's LGBTQ+ Advisory Board, The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center and Monadnock Development and HANAC to announce the project.

The development will also include a larger space for The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center to continue to support its advocacy, education and health programs.

Latimer said this partnership will lead to the creation of a safer space for everyone, not just for LGBTQ+ people.

"We want our Westchester neighbors, no matter what age they are, to know this county is inclusive, their identity is accepted and they can make a home here," he said. "Affordable housing has been a priority for my administration and we want to reach all corners of the County with this opportunity. It will address the pressing needs of the LGBTQ+ community while expanding the vital services provided by The LOFT.”

The LOFT LGBTQ+ Community Center will occupy more than 7,000 square feet of a newly constructed building on the southwest corner of Court and Quarropas Streets in White Plains. HANAC and Monadnock will own and operate the housing components and work with The LOFT to ensure all seniors feel welcomed.

Officials said the housing is not exclusively for members of the LGBTQ+ community, but will be the first housing complex in the county that is friendly and supportive to LGBTQ+ residents with services being provided by The LOFT at the community facility space to assist with healthcare and more.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force estimates there are over 3 million LGBTQ+ seniors in the United States with that number expected to double by 2030.

Judy Troilo, executive director of The LOFT, said there was a time in recent history when members of the LGBTQ+ community weren’t living long enough to need senior housing.

"There was also so much fear associated with identifying as LGBTQ+ publicly," she said. "This housing today is a symbol of how far we have come. Granted, we still have a long way to go, but this is a tremendous day."

Troilo said The LOFT's long-standing goal of providing Westchester’s LGBTQ+ elders with safe, affordable, and affirming housing has arrived.

In addition, the brand-new center will include space for its growing programs and a home for a partner provider to offer medical and mental health services specifically to LGBTQ+ individuals and families here in Westchester County.

"Having all these incredible services under one roof is truly groundbreaking and will no doubt become a model for others to follow nationally,” Troilo said.

White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach said the project developed by The LOFT, Monadnock Development and HANAC embodies the best of the city.

“Diversity produces vibrant communities," he said. "White Plains is a special place to live, work and play due in large part to its diversity. The addition of affordable senior housing and a space for a beloved community organization in the City of White Plains is a win-win.”

The downtown White Plains development is slated to be completed by 2024, officials said.