Senior Living Community Coming To Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —A new senior living community is coming to Lower Bucks County.

Federation Housing Inc. recently broke ground on a new affordable senior living community named the Daniel B. Green House at 4695 Somerton Rd. in Trevose.

The 60-unit senior living community will provide housing for individuals who meet low-income housing requirements, allowing older adults to remain close to family, friends, and neighborhood staples without fear of being priced out of their community.

“The senior population is an important part of any community and deserves the dignity to age in place, regardless of how much money they have in the bank,” said Eric D. Naftulin, Federal Housing's executive vice president. “Unfortunately, even in middle-class and wealthier communities within Bucks County, the affordable housing crisis is present and only getting worse."

Naftulin was joined by several speakers including Bucks County Commissioner Robert J. Harvie Jr., Bensalem Township Council President Edward Kisselback, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s CEO Robin Wiessmann, Federation Housing Board Member Richard J. Green, and Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s President Michael Markman for the July 12 groundbreaking ceremony.

The Daniel B. Green House is the non-profit organization’s latest effort to meet the region’s demand for accessible, affordable senior living.

“The senior population is one of the fastest growing segments of our population in Bucks County,” said Harvie Jr., the vice chairman of the Bucks County Commissioners. “It is a challenge to find affordable housing throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, and we are really excited to have this development moving forward. “It is a great example of a private-public partnership doing good things in Bucks County.”

In Bucks County, existing options for affordable housing are lagging. According to the 2023 Bucks County Housing Needs Snapshot report from Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, “there is a critical shortage of affordable homes in Bucks County” and that “for every 100 extremely low-income individuals in Bucks County, only 31 affordable rental homes are available to them.

“This is a combination of federal, state, and local groups working together to make this development happen,” Kisselback said. “This is a project of faith and love, and Federation Housing is providing a safety net for our seniors.”

The community is named for Daniel B. Green, the late Chairman of Firstrust Bank, local philanthropist, and one of the original board members of Federation Housing dating back to 1977. It will share property space with the Florence E. Green House —an existing senior living community owned and operated by Federation Housing for more than a decade.

Bucks County is also in a five-way tie for the state’s highest housing wage at $33.40 an hour. For those looking to own, the average Bucks home price is more than double Pennsylvania’s median home value.

“At Firstrust Bank, we recognize the urgent need for affordable housing solutions, especially in our Greater Philadelphia communities," said Tim Abell, CEO and President of Firstrust Bank. "The Daniel B. Green House will help to fill a critical gap in housing availability for seniors in Bucks County."