'The face of homelessness has changed': This Florida woman, 78, lives out of her car and eats just 1 meal a day — why more and more seniors in the Sunshine State are facing homelessness

Homelessness is hitting older Floridians

Carolyn had been living in her vehicle for two months at the time, and 7News reports she has only Social Security for income. She doesn't share her monthly benefit, but the average retired worker today collects about $2,000 a month.

Carolyn has sold many of her possessions, but simply doesn’t have enough money for housing. In the absence of a bed, she sleeps upright in her car instead of lying down.

“I sleep here in this seat, scrunched down. My ankles and legs are swollen from having to sit all the time,” she said. “I buy jug water, it’s cheaper. And I eat one meal a day, for $2.02.”

Thanks to her Medicare plan, Carolyn has free access to a gym where she can shower, per 7News. But she still needs a home.

Cassandra Rhett, the Housing and Social Services Manager for the City of Pompano Beach, is trying to help find her one. Rhett was inspired to help knowing that anyone could end up in a situation like Carolyn's.

“It could be my aunt, it could be my mother. It just breaks my heart just how humble Carolyn is,” she told 7News with tears in her eyes.

Rhett blamed the situation on skyrocketing rents.

Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, says that homeless seniors are incredibly vulnerable and in need of help.

“We know if you put vulnerable elderly on the street, they’re going to die earlier,” he told 7News. “The face of homelessness has changed. I want people in our community to think about their mothers, and their grandmothers, and their grandfathers being homeless for the first time.”

In 2019, people aged 65 and older made up nearly 8% of the homeless population in Miami-Dade County, according to 7News, citing data from the Homeless Trust. By 2024, that number reached 14%, and it’s projected to climb to 22% by 2030.

Meanwhile, Carolyn's car recently started to leak following a period of rain. Rhett says the city has put Carolyn up in a hotel for now — while she works to find the senior permanent housing.

Carolyn hopes sharing her story sheds light on the problem at hand.

“It can happen to anyone. Don’t think it can’t,” she warned.

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Homelessness among seniors is a major problem

Americans aged 50 and over are the fastest growing group of people who are going homeless in the country, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, meanwhile, reports that in 2023, roughly 138,000 Americans aged 55 and older experienced homelessness on a given night, representing 20% of all homeless individuals.

The organization also noted, in 2020, that 5 million Americans aged 65 and over lived below the poverty line, which at the time was $12,760 for a household of one, per HHS data.

There are a few reasons why older Americans may not be able to afford housing. First, many people who reach retirement have only Social Security to live on.

A 2024 AARP survey found that 20% of Americans aged 50 and over had no retirement savings. As noted earlier, the average retired worker Social Security benefit is about $2,000 a month. But Zillow puts the average U.S. rent for a one-bedroom unit at just under $1,600 per month.

In addition to worrying about rent, health costs tend to rise with age. And those with limited incomes sometimes have to choose between paying for medical care and medication versus other bills.

It’s important that seniors at risk of homelessness know how to get access to the support they need. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, for example, has an online tool to help people seek out emergency shelter, as well as food pantries and health clinics. You can also use this list of resources to find homeless assistance programs in your state.