Around two-thirds of Baby Boomers in metropolitan areas live in the suburbs. But as they age, suburbia seems less and less hospitable.
The iconic "car-centric suburban neighborhoods with multilevel homes and scarce sidewalks are a poor match for people who can’t climb stairs or drive a car," writes Jenni Bergal for RenewATL.
That means that for many Baby Boomers hoping to age in place, staying in their homes could mean suffering increased isolation and immobility—both of which can be damaging to mental health.
And for the many retirees underwater on their mortgages, leaving may not be an option.
The problem, which many seniors already face, highlights larger failures in infrastructure management throughout the country. And government may not be able to keep up:
State and local officials are largely unprepared to handle heightened demands for transportation, affordable housing and long-term care. One study estimated that spending on public transit would have to increase 81 percent, to $8.6 billion, by 2030 to meet the needs of seniors who want to stay in their homes.
FULL STORY: Can car-centric suburbs adjust to aging Baby Boomers?
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research