Agenda Packets - 2009/01/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2008 Mounds View Comprehensive Plan ________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 4: Housing 4-19 Although challenges exist, infill and redevelopment is vital to the diversification of Mounds View’s housing stock and the additional life cycle and affordable housing opportunities. The City must enact policies and tools that promote and encourage the revitalization of redevelopment areas and allow infill development while lessening impacts on nearby properties. Changing Demographics Changing demographics are an important factor in the housing market that will continue to affect the city’s housing needs. Demographic forecasts indicate that, on average, Mounds View’s population will continue to get older. As a result, there will be significant changes in the city’s housing needs as more residents age in place or decide to “downsize” to reduce their homeownership commitments. Furthermore, a challenge the City face will be to develop strategies that attract and keep younger households. Studies have found that the majority of seniors prefer to remain in their homes and age in place. Aging in place is typically accompanied by an increasing range of services that senior citizens need to stay in their homes for a longer period of time and a concern that the owners may defer housing maintenance. The majority of Mounds View housing, like many other cities, was built for young and middle-aged couples with children. Because of this, many of the existing homes may not meet the livability needs of senior citizens such as accessibility and in-home health care. Another concern with aging in place is the condition of the housing stock. Like the population, Mounds View’s housing stock is aging. Older adults with limited mobility and health concerns often have physical and financial difficulty performing routine home maintenance tasks. As the city continues to age, there will be a need for additional efforts to partner with a variety of resources such as churches, volunteer organizations and businesses to address these maintenance needs. The combination of older residents aging in place and the limited supply of vacant land affects Mounds View’s ability to attract younger households. As such, the City should develop strategies that focus on creating additional housing choices for younger households to help create an age- balanced city.