A new service targeted at seniors buys homes, but lets the previous owner stay.
If you're over 65 and having trouble paying your mortgage and property taxes, a new startup has an interesting proposition for you. A new company called Irene will take the house off your hands and handle your taxes, too. The service targets a group that has increasingly small savings and is most likely to own homes. The situation of being asset rich and money poor is increasingly common among seniors. Irene will also pay for some maintenance. "The trade-off: a sale price far below market value," Henry Grabar reports for Slate.
The company is new, but the problem is not. Homes can be sold with lifetime rent clauses and equity in a home can be leveraged against retirement costs. "In sum, it’s probably a good idea for some seniors—though one that can hardly measure up to the scope of the problem," Grabar writes.
FULL STORY: Live Free and Die
Missing Out on Low Interest Rates
Wall Street Journal piece says loan regulations hurt home buyers with imperfect credit.
Explaining the Importance of Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning
A term you need to know.
Fair Housing and Community Development: Better Together!
Conversations about fair housing and place-based work too often lead to a perceived need to defend turf. Reece and Kriesberg got together instead to talk about common ground, using Rooflines as a hub for debate!
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
Major US Cities Still Suffering Downtown Decline
Research shows that the “donut effect” hollowing out central business districts since the pandemic continues to cause economic decline in the 12 largest American cities.
Why Traffic Never Gets Better
Despite abundant research showing that roadway expansions provide limited congestion relief and increase long-term traffic problems, they still occur due to wishful thinking: advocates claim that “this” project is different.
San Francisco Tops ‘Urban Mobility Readiness’ List
An annual analysis of global cities assesses public transit, technology, and sustainability.
Bike-Mounted Sensor Could Improve Safety for Cyclists
A new camera technology can detect when vehicles pass too close to people on bikes.
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.
City of Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners