Housing the Aging Baby Boomers: Implications for Local Policy

32 Pages Posted: 7 Jan 2008

See all articles by John Matthews

John Matthews

Georgia State University - Department of Public Administration & Urban Studies

Geoffrey K. Turnbull

Georgia State University - Department of Economics

Date Written: January 2008

Abstract

Most elderly want to age in place. Yet, most elderly live in suburban and rural communities ill-suited to meet the changing aging-related demands. This paper discusses various issues communities need to address when balancing the demands of aging baby boomers against those of younger households. Accommodating changes in life stage needs requires revising building and zoning codes to permit mixed use and mixed density development incorporating greater varieties of housing units and easier accessibility. Developing support arrangements for naturally occurring retirement communities will become important for state and local governments. A significant number of aging adults will move to locales with natural and augmented civic amenities. Such migration is double-edged; features that attract gray gold also attract needy elderly. Finally, affordable housing will be an issue for a growing number of elderly, calling for targeted tax and financial assistance policies for lower income elderly homeowners.

Keywords: Aging population, elderly housing, aging policy

Suggested Citation

Matthews, John and Turnbull, Geoffrey K., Housing the Aging Baby Boomers: Implications for Local Policy (January 2008). Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Research Paper No. 08-01, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1081305 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1081305

John Matthews (Contact Author)

Georgia State University - Department of Public Administration & Urban Studies ( email )

Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
United States
404-413-0259 (Phone)

Geoffrey K. Turnbull

Georgia State University - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 3992
Atlanta, GA 30302-3992
United States
404-651-0419 (Phone)
404-651-2737 (Fax)

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