Oregon’s older adult population is growing, and with it, the urgent need for accessible, affordable housing. The Oregon House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 3589, a bipartisan measure to establish the state’s Senior Housing Development Initiative. With $24 million allocated for new affordable housing opportunities for older adults, the bill aims to support one of the fastest growing and most vulnerable populations in the state.

“Older adults in our state are writing to us saying they can’t find an affordable place to live or a safe way to stay warm in the winter. This is not a personal failure; it is a policy failure. And we can choose a different path,” said Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) Executive Director Andrea Bell.

This investment is urgent, as Brandon Schrader, housing economist at OHCS, explains, older adults in Oregon face a triple threat of aging housing stock, low income, and inadequate accessibility.

“When our research team began to explore the topic of housing accessibility and aging, it was clear that there is a lack of information, especially at the state level,” Schrader explained. “What we can glean from national trends is telling, though, and can provide actionable insights into Oregon’s context.”

According to The Urban Institute and University of Michigan, 98.5% of people aged 50-64 live in homes without accessibility features such as grab bars or ramps, and 40.5% say they can’t afford to modify their homes. Difficulty with daily activities inside the home increases sharply with age, affecting more than 20% of those aged 75 and older.

These accessibility challenges are not felt equally. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies, Black households are almost twice as likely to experience these challenges compared to white households in the 80 and older grouping (16% vs 29%). Similarly, low-income households are significantly more likely to have difficulties at home as householders age.

These disparities intensify when it comes to affordability. OHCS’ research team found that in Oregon, roughly 75% of extremely or very low-income households of people ages 55 and older reported being rent burdened in 2023, meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on rent. Older adults with disabilities (a group disproportionately represented among older adults) are significantly more likely to face severe rent burdens.

As Oregon prepares for its rapidly growing population aged 75 and older, new housing models are taking shape. OHCS has already helped fund intergenerational communities, Bridge Meadows in Redmond and Mahonia Crossing in Salem. These housing developments are intentionally designed to include and support people of all ages, including children, youth, adults, and older adults, living together in meaningful ways.

One of the most promising developments on the horizon is Meadowlark Place, a mixed-use, deeply affordable, older adult housing development in downtown Beaverton co-developed by Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) and DCM Communities.

“What is now Meadowlark Place is a project that originates because the City of Beaverton had an allocation of metro regional affordable housing bond resources as well as a parcel of City-owned land in Downtown Beaverton. The city also knew that with that, they wanted to strategically allocate those resources for older adult housing specifically,” said CPAH Housing Developer Christopher Ibeling.

The project will include 104 units of older adult housing, 70% of units affordable to older adults at or below 30% area median income (AMI), remaining units affordable at or below 50% AMI, 30 units reserved for older adults exiting homelessness, a co-located Head Start preschool, fully accessible and adaptable units, on-site resident services, a community garden, walking loop, community room, and more. Meadowlark Place is expected to open its doors to residents in 2027.

“We were pretty excited to do a project that co-locates affordable housing and childcare,” said CPAH Executive Director Rachael Duke. “Especially one that creates opportunities for intergenerational programming by integrating housing for older adults.”

Duke’s excitement stems from research showing that connections between children and older adults can yield positive effects for all age groups involved, including decreased social isolation, depression, and loneliness, and improved community infrastructure and facilities.

With the state’s older adult population projected to rise sharply through 2030 and beyond, Oregon’s communities emphasize that sustained commitment will determine whether older adults can live with safety, comfort, and independence.