Livable Communities

Livable Communities include a choice of affordable housing - row houses, multi-plexes, cottages -- all smaller units that are affordable. AARP Oregon, AIA – Southwest Oregon, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Better Eugene Springfield Transportation (BEST), Transportation Growth Management Program, held a Livability Solutions Forum: The Future of Housing on April 12. The event focused on exploring how Lane County can create more housing options.

On April 13th, AARP Oregon, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Rogue Valley Council of Governments, Transportation Growth Management Program, Oregon Chapter of American Planners Association hosted the Rogue Valley 17 Livability Solutions Forum: Future of Housing in Medford. The event focused on exploring how the Jackson and Josephine Counties can create more housing options, identifying barriers and challenges to more innovative housing that support residents across age, ability and income spectrums and how “missing middle housing” can be instrumental in building successful multi-generational communities.

Now in his 70’s, Ron Herndon has no immediate plans to retire. He enjoys working with a staff of over 300 and watching what they are able to do. “As long as I bring something to the organization, I’ll keep doing it,” he says with a smile.

Thirty-five percent of Oregonians live in rural areas, and of those, 44 percent are 65 or older. Yet rural communities lag behind in offering health care, transportation and other services that make a community age-friendly.

What do you do when your family members’ situation dramatically changes so that they cannot maintain their independence without assistance? What if it happens to a friend or neighbor? In what ways can we create more interdependent communities?

Just about everyone wants their community to be "livable." But what does that mean exactly? AARP defines it as a community that is built for people of all ages. The formula for what makes a community livable is not complex, but there are nuances that help create a people-friendly environment, one that is safe and accessible and is a great place to live. With that in mind, test your knowledge about livability. If you picked up a questions sheet at a local event, you'll find the answers below.

Newberg is making it easier for people of all people of all ages and abilities to live and thrive in the city as Newberg becomes Oregon’s fourth community to join the AARP National and WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Communities. The other four Age-Friendly Oregon communities are: Portland, Multnomah County and Springfield.

The third season of NeighborWalks begins in May! We are excited to invite you to join us this year at one or all of the dozen walks that we have designed for you!

By Merry MacKinnon

AARP Oregon is in your community. Our organization is more than just discounts and lobbying for older Americans. But, we realize that not everyone knows what we’re working on across the state, Eugene and Springfield. To allow the community a chance to get to know us better, AARP is coordinating a “community blitz,” in Eugene/Springfield on March 1-3, 2017.