The politics of mixing older persons and younger persons with disabilities in federally assisted housing

Abstract

Beginning in the late 1980s, government-assisted housing for elderly persons, a popular and successful housing type, began to experience an in- movement of younger persons with disabilities. Advocates for the elderly population expressed alarm about the negative consequences for elderly persons of such 'mixing' and of the turnover of this housing to other groups. Based on interviews with key participants and an analysis of documents, this article uses interest group theory and a model of agenda setting to explain why 'mixing populations' attained prominence on the Federal housing agenda, the different perspectives of advocates for elderly individuals and younger persons with disabilities concerning the issue, and the implications of the conflict for housing policy and interest group politics.