When HIVE dean Sarah Susanka, also famed author of the Not So Big House series, aligned with other thought leaders in the aging in place space at the HIVE conference in September, a lot of ideas were released.
Her presentation, now available for download, set the scene for her panel to continue a thought-provoking conversation on how housing leaders can address the issue at hand. How can we provide places for this huge population of retirees to live comfortably in place? As Susanka and her panel discussed there is a need for more social connectivity and walkability.
View or download Sarah Susanka’s presentation here
Susanka was surprised by the volume of interest in the topic at HIVE and looks forward to guiding the conversation with other designers, developers, builders, and industry experts. She already has some business interests in motion, working with developer and HIVE 100 honoree John McLinden. Plus, Susanka also sees this as content for her next publication.
“It’s a very simple subject,” Susanka said. “A lot of what we are proposing can be accomplished through many different avenues, by remembering what we used to know prior to the dominance of the automobile. What’s most needed is an understanding about how human beings actually relate to and socialize with one another, and when a community is designed to facilitate these interactions, the entire generational spectrum benefits. In the process, we create intergenerational neighborhoods that care for and look after one another effortlessly, because of the resulting social fabric.
“Of the people at HIVE, there was a good cross section of the population who are positioned to take action. They were largely of the age bracket that’s considering these issues, both for themselves and/or for their parents, and they now want to be part of the solution for this most pressing of issues. All of us want better solutions for aging independence than are currently available in the mainstream market. It’s not difficult to do, but it does require a massive shift in our thinking.”
A recent New York Times article by John Wasik notes that walkability leads to better health, social engagement, and higher property values. That’s a lot of return, but it’s also a large cultural shift considering most retirees currently live in suburban gated subdivisions on golf courses or on a remote cul-de-sac. Now, the question is how can that culture shift occur? Susanka and her HIVE panelists take their assignment to solve that issue seriously, and they are still answering questions related to their session.
The dialogue continues online at hiveforhousing.com. Below is a selection of questions from the Reinventing Our Homes and Communities for Aging Independence session at HIVE, answered by Susanka; Ryan Frederick, CEO of Smart Living 360; architect Ross Chapin; and author and architect Matthias Hollwich.
Q: Rather than relying on new construction projects to provide multiple amenities for an aging population, what are the possibilities within a dense urban environment to locate and enhance existing neighborhoods that are predisposed to suit the needs of this specific age range, but is still integrative of multiple demographics? Is this less of a design issue and more of an urban planning issue?
Frederick: Urban planning has a key role and planners are a key stakeholder in making livable communities a reality. There will be options of new construction and renovations to create better housing options and being co-located in a walkable, mixed-use environment offers advantages to people of all ages.
Hollwich: Urban planning is design, and there are many things that need and can be improved. But it needs buy-in by many, and making it intergenerational will make more people fight for the right cause. We need to take into account safety and security, mobility, provision of services, social activation, etc.
Chapin: Planning will play some role in making places for elder amenities (think mixed-use zoning, walkability). The market needs to respond to these opportunities, however.
Q: The first senior cohousing in the U.S. took 30 years of the founders saying, “Let’s all retire together someday.” How can the folks in this room accelerate the process? How can we approach resident participation in design and operation to expand our options?
Frederick: Cohousing is a very attractive model for bringing together friends to take better control of their housing options as people age. However, it can be very complicated to pull off for a host of reasons. We need to encourage more people to consider this option even though it is not a scalable solution. Another option that is far more scalable is to encourage next generation developers to empower residents to have the feeling of ownership and engagement in the buildings and communities they are part of. This may offer the best of cohousing without the complications.
Chapin: Cohousing typically has residents slogging through the land acquisition/planning/financing/permitting/marketing/construction process. How many people can survive that?? I think that thoughtful developers can lead the charge in creating cohousing-like, elder-supportive communities, and when nearing completion, they can sell to residents who share community values and lifestyle.
Q: Driverless cars may make independence possible for many more years. Thoughts?
Frederick: Technology, including driverless cars, will make aging outside of institutional environments more possible. However, we must be mindful of the critical importance of face-to-face social interaction. If the advent of autonomous vehicles persuades more people to live a long time and lonely, it may not be the panacea we all hope.
Hollwich: Yes, we should all support the driverless car development.
Susanka: I think this shift is going to make an enormous difference to the aging picture as we’ll no longer be stranded once we can no longer drive safely. I wish I had a crystal ball to see the impact on this one, but I know for sure it’s going to be huge.
Chapin: Sure. But let’s not rely on gizmos to solve deeper needs. We should work toward communities that foster interdependence so that elders and people of all ages find support, caring, and security with one another.
Q: Is the lack of community also tied to the lack or respect for our elders? In the Latino, the African American, and especially the Asian societies it is very important to keep the family together, with the elders helping the young ones, leading them down the path of life. How do you think cultural issues play into the aging movement?
Chapin: I think we can all see that the cultural fabric of caring in our society is sorely frayed in mainstream America. Elders end up alone, lonely and at risk. These trends may not be followed as much with Latino, African American or Asian sub-cultures, but the structure of land subdivision and roads in this country sharply cuts into our human propensity for social connection.
Hollwich: Cultural issues are huge – but look at the success of social media. People who did not talk to each other or lost connection got re-connected and we all love it. This should inspire us to find playful, fun, and engaging ways to reconnect generations – and empower respect.
Susanka: I think this is a big issue. I don’t think it’s really disrespect though, so much as a lack of time to really be there with the needs of an aging body, one that has totally different pacing from our own when we’re younger, along with an awkwardness about even contemplating our own mortality. We’re fearful, and that fear gets inadvertently projected onto the elders of our lives.
Q: How might we ensure something like a complete community is accessible for people across the socio-economic spectrum?
Hollwich: New York has an 80/20 program, giving developers incentives when they build 20% lower income housing. In the Netherlands, the government intervenes and builds low-income housing within very affluent areas. In Singapore, the government is behind all developments and they can steer the mix.
Chapin: Besides subsidies and inclusionary zoning (requiring a portion of a development to be affordable), a development can/should have a wide range of housing options—micro apartments, ADU studios, live-aboves (carriage houses), etc. Both sale and rental. If the questioner is asking about a community in general, then I would respond by suggesting that zoning should allow/promote for full-spectrum housing.
Q: How big of a problem is zoning, and is mixed-use now more permissible?
Hollwich: Zoning is different everywhere, but if it is wrong, it is wrong and needs fixing. This is why we have to expand our conversation on aging and make every person in the country aware about the necessities of change.
Susanka: It’s big. Until mixed-use becomes more acceptable, and until zoning laws shift, we’re very limited in what can be accomplished in new construction. That’s why, for the time being, I see the greatest opportunities close to already vibrant retail areas and existing downtowns. The commerce and walkability are already there, and the new residents can enhance the population with access to the downtown while simultaneously creating a new, highly walkable, age-friendly place to live.
Chapin: More planning officials are embracing mixed-use zoning, but are often faced with NIMBY opposition from existing wary residents. The message needs to get out about how livable, walkable communities are complete communities—with places for all of us.
