AARP Livable Communities supports the efforts of cities, towns, counties, and states to provide safe, walkable streets; age-friendly housing and transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities. This work is driven by research that shows the vast majority of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Well-designed, livable communities promote better health and sustain economic growth, and they make for happier, healthier residents — of every age, in all life stages.

To empower communities nationwide, AARP works with relevant nonprofit organizations, business interests and philanthropic groups to raise awareness about the need for age-friendly, livable communities. We also work with elected officials, policy makers, community leaders, citizen activists and people age-50-plus in our policy, advocacy and education efforts involving housing, mobility, transportation, and land use and planning issues. A large part of this initiative is AARP.org/livable is a repository of information and resources to help local officials; policy makers and citizen activists make their communities great places for people of all ages. The site consolidates relevant information from a wide range of sources about age-friendly communities and people age 50+.

One component of AARP's work around Livable Communities is The AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities which encourages states, cities, towns and counties to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults. In NJ, two towns: Princeton and Montclair have joined the AARP Network of Age Friendly Communities’ and are demonstrating a commitment to be great places, and even lifelong homes, for people of all ages. Check Out What’s Happening in Montclair, and click here to learn more about Princeton’s Age Friendly Work.

In 2015 the Taub Foundation and the Grotta Fund launched a funding and grant project to promote the creation of age-friendly initiatives within local municipalities. Several Northern NJ cities are now in a coalition working on various livability projects including the areas of: affordable housing, transportation, walkability, opportunities for social interaction, and access to fresh food to name a few. While each town has selected individual initiatives to focus on, the overall goal is to implement projects that make measurable and sustainable changes at the community level to benefit older adults. Click on the towns below to learn more about the work being done around Livable Communities:

• Garfield
• Teaneck
• Englewood
• Westwood
• Ridgewood