He still chuckles at the memory. It didn't take long for my application to come in.'' The Mayor's Committee on Aging can be considered the watchdog for senior citizens in Virginia Beach.
Members advise the mayor on issues facing the elderly.
Although the committee has no budget and no real power, members have been instrumental in getting the city to recognize the needs of the elderly and to act upon them. Unlike many committees, public and private, that are thrown together for appearance's sake, the Mayor's Committee on Aging has an impressive list of accomplishments since its inception in 1972. The U.S. Postal Service letter carriers report the name of a senior who has an overabundance of mail to the Volunteers of America of Virginia, who then check on the person. When developer Richard Waitzer encountered widespread opposition to his Silver Hill apartment community, which rents units to middle-income seniors, the committee backed him up through each hurdle. Members of the committee also suggested to the Department of Housing and Community Development to start the successful Home Share Program, which matches senior homeowners with other seniors who need low-cost housing.