As boomers retire at a rate of 10,000 per day, can they be discouraged from sprawling into suburbs and rural areas, where caring for them as they age can be more challenging?
With little success, states have long used tax breaks to try enticing retirees. Migration patterns have remained steady for decades, however, with approximately 65% of people fleeing cities at retirement, largely flocking towards "sunshine and fairways". Slate's Will Doig discusses the importance of keeping seniors in cities though a combination of policy and planning that caters to their unique needs.
Mobility is a widely recognized issue for seniors. Doig points out that policies, such as in San Francisco, that eliminate urban bench seating make it difficult for seniors to get out and about. Transit poses another set of issues. For seniors who struggle to haul shopping bags to the nearest bus stop or train station, semi-legal "dollar vans" could be legitimized through regulation to offer an affordable alternative to hailing a cab.
Planning policy that facilitates inter-generational relationships is essential to caring for seniors while creating vibrant communities. Given the failure of financial incentives to attract retirees, Doig argues:
"...cities must do the work themselves to become attractive to seniors. And they should, because older people have more to offer cities than just their pensions."
Thanks to Jessica Brent
FULL STORY: How to Solve the Boomer Retirement Crisis
The Next Housing Crisis Isn't Far Off
As aging baby boomers enter retirement and seek to downsize from their large single-family homes (the "great senior sell-off") they'll find a housing market increasingly uninterested in what they're selling, says researcher Arthur C. Nelson.
Where Americans Can Retire 'Like Kings'
Lisa Stark identifies the top ten U.S. cities were retirees can live on less than $100 per day.
Baby Boomers Ponder Their Next Move
Recent studies on older generations' dwelling and travel patterns show that urban areas may provide more mobility and independence than suburban areas with less access to public transit.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
Alaska Village Becomes Test Case for Climate Change Relocation
The Yup’ik village of Newtok is the first Alaska community to begin a full-scale relocation necessitated by the impacts of climate change. Another 31 Alaska communities remain vulnerable.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
