The Grey Wave We Can No Longer Ignore: Why Cuyahoga County Must Act for Unhoused Seniors

This January’s sub-freezing temperatures have laid bare a truth many of us can no longer ignore. For those fortunate enough to have a warm place to call home, a short walk outside reveals a disturbing reality: far too many of our neighbors are unhoused in the cold, and an increasing number of them are over the age of 50. 

At YWCA Greater Cleveland, this reality is impossible to overlook. As the operators of the Norma Herr Women’s Center, we have witnessed a sharp and troubling rise in older adults seeking shelter. This is not a temporary spike. It is the leading edge of a demographic shift that will only intensify. By 2030, nearly 30% of Cuyahoga County’s population will be over the age of 60, up from 25.8% in 2020, according to the Center for Community Solutions. Without intervention, more seniors will face homelessness in the years ahead. 

This phenomenon is part of a national crisis that advocates for unhoused individuals have dubbed the “grey wave.” Across the United States, overall homelessness surged by 18% from 2023 to 2024. Alarmingly, nearly 20% of that increase involved individuals aged 55 and older, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). This amounts to 146,000 older people—an amount greater than the population of Dayton—who were forced to sleep in the street. University of Pennsylvania researcher Dennis Culhane has warned that, if left unaddressed, the number of unhoused older adults could triple between 2019 and 2030. 

NAEH CEO Ann Oliva points to familiar but devastating drivers: inflation, skyrocketing rents, and a severe shortage of affordable housing. Many older adults are living on fixed incomes that simply cannot keep pace with today’s housing market. Some are experiencing homelessness for the first time after a medical emergency or financial crisis. Others have cycled through unstable housing for decades, navigating systems that have repeatedly failed to address the trauma at the root of their homelessness. 

For shelters, this surge presents urgent challenges. Most facilities were never designed to meet the complex needs of aging guests. Dormitory-style sleeping arrangements often cannot accommodate wheelchairs or walkers. Bunk beds are inaccessible for those with limited mobility, and fire regulations can prevent people who rely on oxygen from being admitted. Conditions such as memory loss, incontinence, or complex medication management can further limit access to safe shelter, leaving many seniors with nowhere to go. 

 As Cuyahoga County’s only low-barrier women’s shelter, the Norma Herr Women’s Center remains committed to never turning away an unhoused woman. Still, we recognize that our space must evolve to meet the needs of the population we serve. That is why a $25 million renovation is underway—one that moves away from congregate living and toward semi-private and private suites, ADA-compliant rooms, and fewer shared bathrooms. These changes are not luxuries; they are necessities for dignity, safety, and care. 

  Until these improvements are complete, YWCA Greater Cleveland continues to serve every woman who comes through our doors, regardless of age or ability. We do so because we believe a fundamental truth: older adults in our community deserve to age with dignity, not on the streets.  

Our shelter bears the name of Norma Herr for a reason. She was our oldest and longest-served guest, and she remained with us until the end of her life. Honoring her legacy means refusing to look away as more seniors face homelessness. It means investing in solutions—housing, shelter, and supportive services—now before this grey wave becomes an irreversible tide. 

The question before us is not whether the crisis is coming. It is whether we will meet it with compassion, foresight, and action.