Armed with the right information, REALTORS® can better assist the aging United States population in the future, said Senior Research Associate Jennifer Molinsky of the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS).
Molinsky presented, “Housing America’s Older Adults: Exploring Accessibility and Affordability” to the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS® Senior Services Committee and guests during a Zoom webinar Wednesday. She identified four categories of housing challenges older Americans face and shared potential solutions.
The categories were:
- affordability,
- accessibility,
- location and
- the connection between housing and care.
Some homeowners can avoid affordability issues if they begin preparations well before their retirements, Molinsky said. For example, early financial planning can help some budget more accurately for their senior years. Also, younger adults who build or remodel with the future in mind will find it less expensive to make age-appropriate modifications that will permit them to “age in place.”
Older homeowners could benefit from rent subsidies, age-sensitive support programs for the homeless, and smaller, less costly housing types, Molinsky said. She encouraged REALTORS® to advocate for programs and policies that would support these kinds of ideas.
To view some of the other details from Molinsky’s presentation, consult some of her support materials. Much of the data cited by Molinsky comes from JCHS research during the past six years, including her latest report, “Housing America’s Older Adults 2019.”
The session was facilitated by Mainstreet Senior Services Committee Chair Julie Roback, with assistance from Vice-chair Fred Zellner and Ramona Schimka, Mainstreet committee specialist, senior services and young professionals network.
