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Better Block Hawaii (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Housing Choice Design Competitions
└ Housing Choice Design Competitions
High housing costs in Līhu‘e left older adults and families struggling for affordable options. Better Block Hawaii hosted a design competition for climate-resilient, age-friendly accessory dwelling units, engaging residents through workshops and a review committee. Eight submissions were received, and winning designs were published in a free booklet to guide future builds. "This is a home I can imagine living in," said one attendee at the community open house. The project raised awareness of ADUs as a practical solution for housing and supplemental income and sparked interest in similar efforts across Hawaii.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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Bettendorf, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Quad City Area REALTORS addressed a local gap in understanding how accessory dwelling units could function as realistic housing options, especially for adults age 50 or over seeking flexible living arrangements. Misconceptions about scale and design had limited informed discussion, even as housing pressures grew. The group responded by hosting an ADU design competition that invited students and architects to create practical concepts tailored to later-life needs. By publicly displaying the entries, the project gave residents and local leaders clear, visual examples of what ADUs could look like and how they might be used. The competition broadened community awareness and sparked informed conversations about housing choice and design. It also positioned the grantee as a continuing resource for ADU plans and education as discussions with councils and administrators move forward.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Iowa City, IA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: To expand affordable housing options, Johnson County tackled restrictive ADU policies through a creative approach: Lego design competitions at fairs, libraries and festivals. The events drew 156 participants and hundreds of visitors, sparking conversations about zoning flexibility. Volunteers shared materials on ADU benefits, and advocacy led Iowa City to adopt nearly all proposed code amendments. Parents at the events voiced interest in ADUs for aging relatives, signaling growing community support for housing solutions.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Roanoke, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Facing an aging population and rising housing costs, Roanoke updated zoning to allow accessory dwelling units but needed to build awareness. The city partnered with AIA Blue Ridge for a design competition that produced four pre-approved ADU plans, an online design book and a resource website. Workshops and an awards event showcased universal design and aging-in-place strategies. Residents are now exploring ADU construction using these plans, a shift expected to add new units each year and help older adults stay in their neighborhoods.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Lihue, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Kauai Senior Citizens Softball Association addressed safety risks at shared county ballparks where worn surfaces, damaged fencing and aging facilities put older adult players at risk. With the limited public resources prioritized elsewhere, volunteer teams stepped in to make the fields safer. The association coordinated repairs at three parks, painting dugouts and scorer booths, fixing fencing and improving infield surfaces at home plate and bases. Materials were secured for permanent safety upgrades that support regular play. The work reduced tripping hazards and improved field conditions for older adult leagues while strengthening collaboration with youth associations that also use the parks. These partnerships set the stage for continued upkeep and safer shared use across seasons, helping players stay active and engaged in a setting that depends on safe, playable fields.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Lihue, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Lihue's downtown faced unsafe, car-centric streets that limited walkability for residents, especially older adults. To address this, the project added murals to bus shelters and a crosswalk, built a community garden and hosted a dinner where attendees voted on mural designs. Volunteers expanded the garden and engaged older adults in shaping public space. These efforts sparked new partnerships and funding for future improvements like street trees and additional gardens. As one volunteer said, "We're not only growing food, we're growing community," underscoring the project's role in fostering connection and livability.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
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