Governments attempt to solve the housing problems of the elderly through two methods: either by promoting social equity in maximizing housing welfare for an entire population; or by promoting distributive justice in aiming programs toward helping those with special housing needs. Policies to attain these goals fall into two categories: mainstream and targeted policies, respectively, but many governments, having to answer to an electoral body, will enact legislation mixing these goals in order to gain popular support through the balance. This article examines and compares the policies of four leading nations addressing the problems of the elderly: France, Sweden, Canada and the US.