‘The challenges of retiring with dignity.' City officials to vote on increasing resources, support for elder LGBTQ+ community

New legislation to help increase resources and support from the city’s elder LGBTQ+ members is set to be voted on Wednesday.

Rob Taub

Nov 15, 2023, 3:56 AM

Updated 388 days ago

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New legislation to help increase resources and support from the city’s elder LGBTQ+ members is set to be voted on Wednesday.
Councilmember Tiffany Caban first introduced the bill that would require a commission be created by the New York City Department for the Aging that would identify problems and come up with recommendations to fix them.
"I myself am a queer Latina, a queer woman of color and I think about the challenges of retiring with dignity,” said Caban.
One of the major problems the bill is hoping to address is financial woes as a person nears retirement age.
"To compound it with not having family that you can rely on, as many of us often do, say you don't have children or whatever, it exacerbates the problem,” said Destination Tomorrow founder Sean Ebony Coleman.
"I would increase senior centers, and I would do senior centers through a specialized lens, make sure the staff that are working with LGBTQIA+ seniors understands that population and their needs,” added Coleman.
The bill is expected to pass both committee and the full council before heading to Mayor Eric Adams' desk for his signature.