AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

I see them as one best strategies we have for transforming communities to meet our needs,” Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community Harrell at AARP, said of ADUs.

 

“There is a lot of talk about the future: universal design in housing, changes in transportation – but ADUs can solve problems now.

 

The state of California lowered the restrictions that communities were using (to largely prevent) ADUs and now there is a building boom of them in Los Angeles and other communities.

 

The housing crisis is so bad, it’s a move they needed to make.”

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

 “As individuals we need to think of what cities we make,” said Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community at AARP. 

He notes that AARP has an online, interactive Livability Index that helps people make better informed decisions. 

The AARP survey found adults age 50 and older are willing to consider home sharing (32%), building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), (31%) and villages that provide services that enable aging in place (56%). AARP had created model legislation and done other advocacy for ADUs.

DOWNTOWN MIAMI HAS BECOME VIBRANT

WHEN I ARRIVED 25 YEARS AGO, MUCH OF THE                                  CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WAS A GHOST TOWN AFTER 6 P.M.

I am proud to have served under the leadership of Miami City Commissioner Joe Sanchez when was the chair of the Miami Downtown Development Authority.

We shifted the focus from the penthouse boardroom to clean and safe issues on the streets.

Tens of thousands of people endorsed our accomplishments with their pocketbooks – investing, buying, renting, working and playing in a now diverse and vibrant urban core with a blend of historic buildings and new mixed use towers.

In this photo, yours truly, the elder statesman (at least by age), meets young shapers of Miami's built environment.

Fabulous time during CNU Florida Leaders/Inspire Placemaking tour of downtown Miami.

Great to chat about the intrinsic value of Universal Design.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

AARP strongly advocates for planning and zoning policy that creates more communities that are accessible to people of all ages, abilities and incomes.

 

Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community at AARP, said in the more than dozen years he has been with AARP, he has seen a trend toward creating housing and urban design options that serve people of all populations and all abilities.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

“People don’t take into account their future needs,” said Rodney Harrell, Vice President, Family, Home and Community at AARP.

“When home shopping in our 30s, 40s, 50s --   we end up in neighborhoods that are remote,” he said.

Places for worship, places to meet, places for all essential services can only be reached by car.

Children leave, a spouse passes on, income reduces, they are no longer able to drive and they are in isolation.

It didn’t seem to be important to be within walking distance of that grocery store or pharmacy when they bought, but now it is very important.”

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

A 2018 AARP survey that found 76% of Americans age 50 and older prefer to remain in their current residence as long as possible, just 46% feel they will be able to stay in their same home.

The reason for the gap is one of two things – a home too isolated from daily needs, or inadequate to serve their needs.

About one-third surveyed expect their homes to need major modifications to accommodate aging needs.

AS DEMAND TO AGE IN PLACE SOARS, SENIOR CITIZENS ARE SEEKING MORE WALKABILITY AND DIVERSE HOUSING TYPES

A TREND THAT ALSO SERVES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OF ALL AGES

Gil Penalosa, founder and chair of the Toronto-based planning non-profit 8 80 Cities, said the “war on benches” an ill-advised 20+ year trend of removing benches in cities as presumed deterrent to homeless people is “insane”

“Elderly people will not walk if there are no benches. 

They might not even use it, but they want to know it is there if they need it,” he said.

“You put in benches, shade and soon you have sidewalk cafes, people selling flowers, coffee shops, places to meet.”