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City of La Crosse (2024) Print
2024 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Housing
└ Housing Choice Design Competitions
└ Housing Choice Design Competitions
Older residents needed affordable housing options and flexibility to age in place, but city ordinances blocked homeowners from building accessory dwelling units (ADUs). The city launched a design competition, reviewed 36 submissions and selected three winners, then published all designs online to guide future projects. An awards event drew community members and sparked lender interest in financing packages. These steps accelerated ADU adoption, giving residents access to open-source plans that make age-friendly housing and intergenerational living more attainable.
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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Woodstock, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Shenandoah County faced a shortage of smaller accessible homes that would let older adults stay near family and services. The county launched a design competition to create pre-approved ADU plans and used public outreach to explain why flexible housing matters, especially for residents who want to age in place but struggle with large or costly homes. The project sparked discussions among towns about zoning updates that could expand housing choices. A homeowner with worsening mobility shared that the competition gave her hope she could remain in the home she loves. The effort built momentum for long term improvements and informed communitywide planning.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Keene, NH
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: Southwest New Hampshire faces a housing shortage that leaves older adults with few options to age in place. To address this, the commission launched an ADU Design Challenge using real homeowner case studies instead of generic sites. The effort drew 30 submissions for 11 sites, hosted an awards event with 100 attendees and created a web page showcasing designs and resources. Interest was strong, with 75 homeowners volunteering as case study sites, and architects from across New England participating. The challenge sparked conversations about statewide replication and policy reform. One organizer said homeowners' gratitude for the project "was unwavering."
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Madison, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025
Project Category: Housing Choice Design Competitions
Description: The Realtors Association addressed the lack of affordable and accessible housing options for older adults in Madison, where rising costs and limited land made it harder for longtime residents to stay in their communities. The ADU design competition brought together partners across the housing sector and drew strong engagement through an open house and a broad online campaign. These efforts sparked new conversations about accessibility, sustainability and affordability in small-scale housing. The project also encouraged continued collaboration, with next steps focused on presenting top designs to city leaders and pursuing pre-approval to streamline construction for residents.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
La Crosse, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Roadway/sidewalks/crosswalk improvement
Description: This project will revitalize a frequently used route and make it more accessible to residents aged 50 by adding improvements such as a new crosswalk with art, a covered bus shelter and seats, light posts with decorative banners and other amenities.
La Crosse, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Accessibility of amenities
Description: Cia Siab -- a nonprofit serving the local Hmoob community -- wanted to ensure its community center was accessible to people of all ages and abilities. But the stairs at the building's entrance posed a challenge to community elders who use wheelchairs, scooters or other mobility devices. To fix this, the City of La Crosse installed two ramps. The center offers programming to the community, including Hmoob language camp, women's circle and elders program. Access to the site is especially important for Hmong elders, who often struggle with depression, PTSD and social isolation due to their experiences of war, displacement and loss. Since installing the ramps, the City has looked for other community spaces that would benefit from accessibility upgrades.
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