New England’s Affordable Housing Shortage – Don’t Forget Our Seniors!
-by Peter Delano, PE – Senior Vice President | Associate, Nobis Group & J. Chris Nadeau, PE – Director of Commercial Services | Associate, Nobis Group
We’ve all seen the news reports and articles explaining the need for more affordable housing choices in New Hampshire, and throughout all of New England, for that matter. Over the past several years, Millennials (those born between 1980-1994) have bought up a record number of homes due to year-after-year, ultra-low interest rate mortgage loans; and Generation Z (born 1995-2015) is now faced with greatly increasing housing costs and high rental rates against a low inventory. On top of all this, the Baby Boomer Generation (those born between 1946-1964) are now retiring at a rapid pace and seeking out a wide variety of senior housing options as well.
In New Hampshire alone, there is a shortage of more than 20,000 housing units. When it comes to the aging “boomer” population’s housing needs, the issues that lie ahead are not “just” affordability and quantity. The challenge is much more complex. We must provide, with urgency, a solution for the very unique housing needs that our seniors will require at an ever-increasing rate: Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs).
A CCRC can be defined broadly as a community that offers a full range of long-term housing, healthcare, and essential community services and amenities to its senior residents in a setting where their changing needs over time can be accommodated without having to move to a different facility or community. Also referred to as “aging in place” communities, this is what the majority of senior citizens desire most according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). And these “aging in place” communities are needed in both urban and suburban areas alike.
FIRST, THE NUMBERS:
The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to increase from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050 (a 42% increase), and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population is projected to rise from 17% to 23%. Between 1980 and 2022, the median age of the population increased from 30.0 to 38.9, but one-third (17) of states in the country had a median age above 40 in 2022, with Maine (44.8) and New Hampshire (43.3) at the top of the list. These numbers illustrate how critical the need is to provide a massively increased number of CCRCs throughout New England.
Let’s take a look at some important site planning features that Planners, Architects, and Engineers must consider and incorporate into their design of these unique “aging in place” communities:
HOUSING UNIT FLEXIBILITY & CHOICE:
CCRCs should offer a mix of housing options including apartment rentals, condominiums, and detached/attached housing units. First floor and ADA accessible living, small-sized units, covered parking/garages, and additional space for live-in home health care aids, as well as the flexibility to move into different types of housing units within the CCRC as residents age are all critical considerations during planning and design.
AMENITIES:
Key CCRC amenities that must be accounted for in planning and design are access to healthcare, shared dining options, and social/recreational activity areas. Many CCRCs provide on-site healthcare clinics, dining halls, clubhouses, pool complexes, and more. The ability to provide these amenities requires an on-site workforce, workforce parking, and, oftentimes, additional related buildings and structures. Ease of access, wheelchair and mobility scooter access, and proximity to housing within the CCRC must be carefully accounted for during the site planning phase.
WELLNESS:
Promoting resident health and wellness and providing access to natural light with indoor and outdoor spaces for socialization and exercise are important site design features for an “aging in place” community. Many CCRCs also offer specialized care for seniors affected by Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia including circular winding walking pathways, with a focus on sufficient site lighting, proper fencing, and carefully designing all pedestrian-vehicle interface areas.
SAFETY & ACCESS:
Site design layout for access into and throughout a CCRC must also carefully account for vehicle parking for visitors, employees, care providers, senior van shuttles, ambulances, and other emergency services. Design considerations for community access and exit points, whether to have controlled gated access or not, and having an accessible location and process to safely control and receive visitors are all critical design considerations for CCRCs and their residents.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities are not just a solution to our current “boomer” population’s critical housing needs – these communities are a long-term investment in the future of all generations, providing choice, independence, and dignity when it comes to aging in a safe, affordable, and supportive long-term housing community.
The effort to provide thoughtfully designed aging in place communities requires many key stakeholders to come together: our community leaders, elected politicians, developers, real estate professionals, and, of course, the Architecture & Engineering industry.
So, let’s get going because we’re not getting any younger.
**Nobis Group is a Gold Member of Plan New Hampshire. Chris Nadeau serves on the Plan New Hampshire Board of Directors.**