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Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: This project set out to increase awareness of accessory dwelling units -- small housing units constructed on a property alongside a preexisting single family home. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus held its proposes a Granny Flat Academy, a series of educational workshops for Chicagoland residents, elected officials and municipal staff. The workshops highlighted best practices for amending ordinances to allow ADU construction and how to educate residents about the benefits of ADUs. Organizers say ADUs support lifelong communities, allowing people to age in place in their neighborhoods in an accessible, affordable setting.
Eugene, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2017
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: SquareOne Villages constructed two ADA-compliant tiny houses at Emerald Village Eugene, a permanently affordable tiny home co-op. The 1.1 acre location features 22 tiny houses, ranging in size from 160- to 288-square-feet. Each contains a kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping and living areas. Private donations and in-kind contributions by local architects, builders and others funded the project, with future residents contributed their labor during construction. As a result, construction costs came to around 55,000 per unit, including the price of the land. The monthly cost to residents ranges from 200 to 300 and covers utilities, maintenance, operating costs and common spaces. As members of a housing cooperative, the residents own shares in the village, enabling each to receive some money if they choose to move out. To promote diverse housing options, organization also hosted two workshops on accessory dwellings unit in Eugene.
Milwaukee, WI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Accessory dwelling units, tiny homes and manufactured housing
Description: This project will support community outreach for the Growing MKE initiative, which will amend the City's Comprehensive Plan and update zoning to reduce barriers interfering with development of housing for older adults.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Green River, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public space activation
Description: As Epicenter worked to complete its Canal Commons affordable housing development, organizers set out to create an accessible greenspace for future residents. Located in the desert city of Green River, the pocket neighborhood lacks access to walking trails, sidewalks and parks. To address this, Epicenter installed concrete walkways. To allow residents to gather outdoors at night -- and avoid the hot, desert sun -- organizers installed LED lighting along the path. Wayfinding signage helps residents navigate the path, as well as the larger neighborhood. The space also features a picnic table, ADA-compliant benches and raised garden beds. Epicenter prioritized universal design elements for the greenspace to ensure people can age in place at Canal Commons.
Green River, UT
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: The project will build a pavilion at Pearl Baker Park designed to be accessible to older visitors, with hand rails and a soft pathway surface to reduce the potential for injuries from falls.
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