The Boston Housing Authority has won federal approval to change the way it distributes housing units to senior citizens and disabled adults in the 36 elder-disabled apartment buildings owned by the city of Boston.

The approval came from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which must review each city's “Designated Housing Plans." Currently, the BHA is mandated to keep a ratio of 70 percent elderly to 30 percent non-elderly disabled in their developments. The new plan will allow the city of Boston to reserve up to 80 percent of these units in designate buildings for elderly residents.

The city had sought this formula change in the past— most recently, in 2007— but was rejected.
William McGonagle, the BHA’s administrator, has argued that the change is needed to adapt to the city's aging demographics, which have shifted dramatically since the last change in the HUD formula back in 1999. City officials have estimated that 90 percent of new demand for housing in these BHA units will come from elderly residents over the next nine years. Meanwhile, the BHA says that the proportion of non-elderly disabled applicants has declined by 14.5 percent.

McGonagle proposed giving Section 8 vouchers to non-elderly-disabled residents to secure private housing. The plan won unanimous support from the Boston City Council earlier this year, but the HUD approval was the only official hurdle that matters.

In a statement today, McGonagle hailed the HUD decision.

"The BHA is pleased that HUD has approved our plan to provide additional affordable housing options for Boston's elderly residents. This is a step in the right direction," said McGonagle. "The approval of the new plan will allow us to better attain and preserve the elderly character of these public housing communities."