Aging in Place: Neighborhoods Should Sustain All Of Life's Seasons
Something is wrong if seniors have to move out of their community because they entered a new life stage.
America’s population is aging but our existing housing stock is poorly matched to that reality. Many older adults live in homes that are too large, too expensive, too isolated, or too difficult to maintain, but they have few good alternatives nearby. When communities offer only large detached houses or distant senior facilities, aging becomes a forced choice between staying in a home that no longer works or leaving the neighborhood altogether.
Our position is that cities should liberate housing policy to allow the kinds of homes to be built that would support an aging population, allowing them to downsize and lead safe, connected and meaningful lives without having to leave their community.
From an incremental development perspective, this means allowing neighborhoods to evolve to allow a wide variety of housing types suitable to a wide variety of life stages. Duplexes, ADUs, cottage courts and small apartments. Especially for seniors, these are the types of affordable housing options that allow people to stay connected to their community and the routines that give them a sense of meaning and belonging.
Look at your typical single-family neighborhoods: would it be possible for a senior to gracefully age in place? Would they be able to walk or roll safely to a neighbor’s house, a café, a park, a pharmacy, or a bus stop? Could a caregiver or adult child live nearby? Can a retired homeowner add an ADU for income, family support, or future downsizing?
This is more than a thought experiment: the country’s population is aging but it’s getting harder to find housing that works for this life stage. According to studies from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing, the country faces growing housing challenges for older adults, including affordability, accessibility and overall community connection.
A truly age-friendly community gives people housing choices, safe ways to get around without driving and opportunities to stay connected to community life. This is not only an issue for seniors: everyone benefits from mixed-use neighborhoods, housing choices that support adaptation and slower, safer streets.
From a financial perspective, a flexible housing system can also allow homeowners to stabilize their income. Many older adults have wealth tied up in their homes but limited monthly income. Flexible housing options create opportunities to generate rental income, share property with family or move into a smaller unit while remaining in place. These are small-scale interventions that can have major effects on household stability.
Our position is that communities should treat aging in place as a land-use, housing, transportation and local-capacity issue. Cities should legalize ADUs by right, allow missing middle housing in existing neighborhoods, permit smaller homes and lots, support adaptive reuse and reduce parking mandates. They should also work to ensure everyday destinations are reachable on foot in consideration of the countless adults who can no longer safely drive.
Achieving this requires an ecosystem of people who understand how to achieve this. Builders need to know how to deliver smaller, accessible units. Designers need to understand universal design and neighborhood form. Lenders need to finance ADUs and small infill projects. City staff need to administer codes predictably.
As Strong Towns argues, aging in place should not mean trapping people in isolated homes. It should mean giving people the freedom to remain rooted in their community as their lives change. A strong community is one that allows a person to navigate the various seasons of life without having to move every time their life stage changes. That requires neighborhoods with many housing choices, safe public spaces, and local services within reach.
Age-friendly communities and incrementally developed communities are deeply aligned. Both depend on small homes, mixed uses, walkable places, local ownership, and the ability to adapt over time. The communities that will serve older adults best are not the ones that freeze neighborhoods in place. They are the ones that allow neighborhoods to become more complete, more connected and more useful at every stage of life.
Additional Resources
AARP — All About Accessory Dwelling Units
A strong public-facing resource hub on ADUs, including their role in family caregiving, downsizing, and age-friendly housing.
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/housing/info-2019/accessory-dwelling-units-adus/AARP — Accessory Dwelling Units, Defined
Clear explanation of how ADUs can house caregivers, family members, renters, and older adults within existing neighborhoods.
https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/housing/info-2019/accessory-dwelling-units-defined.htmlAARP — Accessory Dwelling Units Allow Homeowners to Choose Where They Age
Practical explanation of how ADUs can support downsizing, caregiving, rental income, and multigenerational living.
https://www.aarp.org/home-living/accessory-dwelling-unit/Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies — Aging Research
Research hub on the housing challenges facing older adults, including affordability, accessibility, functional limitations, and links between housing, health, and services.
https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-areas/agingHarvard Joint Center for Housing Studies — Housing America’s Older Adults 2023
Major report on the housing needs, affordability pressures, accessibility gaps, and care challenges facing older adults.
https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/housing-americas-older-adults-2023Strong Towns — A Home To Grow Old In, and No Way To Leave
Strong Towns framing on why age-friendly places need housing choice, transportation options, and social connection.
https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2024/1/4/a-home-to-grow-old-in-and-no-way-to-leave