At our most recent meeting, we convened as Silver Sage, a senior
cohousing project in Boulder. There are sixteen units built around a courtyard,
ten market price and six affordable housing units. It’s an interesting
combination of individual homes with a shared facility for events and some
meals.
One of the goals of our council is to help elders age in place in our
communities. Rather than being forced into congregate housing options, it’s
important to have a variety of other options available as well. The cohousing
model provides the benefits of aging in place among peers who support each
other. It’s a great option for people who like working in community. This is
not for everyone, and other seniors want to stay in their separate houses as
they get older.
Another important option is a variation on shared housing. Picture a widow
who lives in a five bedroom house, who needs financial assistance to pay property
tax and maintenance. If she is open to the idea, she could rent out four rooms
to other widows. They all benefit, those that are looking for a reasonably
priced rental living option and the property owner who is looking for a means
of offsetting expenses. Unfortunately, in many communities there are zoning
restrictions on the number of unrelated adults who can live in one house. These
types of restrictions need to be revisited and opened up for more flexible
living arrangements.
One of the concerns is the number of parking spaces required if people
share houses. Five older people in one house, some of whom may no longer drive,
is no worse that a family with three teenagers and five cars. Solutions can be
found. It takes looking into alternatives and providing a breath of solutions
for senior housing.
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