LeadingAge California is a pioneering advocate for affordable senior housing and seeks to address a growing challenge: how to ensure vulnerable older adults residing in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties receive the critical support of on-site service coordinators. While legacy federal programs like Section 202 provide dedicated funding mechanisms including HUD's Service Coordinator Grant Program and, in many cases, allow service coordination as a reimbursable line item in their projects' budgets, new LIHTC-funded developments often lack clear and sustainable financial pathways to support these roles. The absence of service coordinators can lead to worse outcomes for residents and higher long-term costs across the healthcare and housing systems. This project challenges students to explore creative, evidence-based strategies for funding service coordinators in LIHTC housing—leveraging budget optimization, state-level regulatory analysis, and cross-program best practices.

Research funding structures across affordable housing programs, with a focus on how service coordinator roles are resourced.Conduct a cross-state comparative analysis to identify policy flexibilities and model innovations.Engage stakeholders (housing providers, state housing agencies, policymakers) to understand existing constraints and opportunities.Develop actionable recommendations for policy reforms and operational adjustments to expand funding pathways.Create a strategic communication and advocacy plan to promote findings to local, state, and national partners.

Success will be measured by the team’s ability to:Produce a robust landscape analysis of current LIHTC and service coordinator funding mechanisms.Identify replicable models from other states or sectors that can inform California's approach.Deliver policy and operational recommendations that are implementable and aligned with the mission of LeadingAge California.Propose a scalable advocacy strategy tailored to both public and nonprofit stakeholders.