AARP Hearing Center
AARP Livable Communities Map
Smalltimore Homes (2023) Print
2023 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Transportation
└ Walkability
└ Walkability
Older adults in Baltimore faced isolation and mobility challenges after the pandemic, compounded by unsafe walking conditions near community spaces. To address this, the organization hosted three walk audits and a health expo focused for older adults, reducing transportation barriers and drawing nearly 100 participants. Feedback revealed hazards like uneven curbs and poor drainage, while the project introduced a toolkit that empowered attendees to spot safety issues. These efforts informed proposals for traffic calming and accessibility upgrades and set the stage for ongoing wellness symposiums that keep older adults engaged and connected.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Photo Gallery
Image:
Click on a photo to learn more
See More Projects Like This One
Houston, TX
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: Cracked sidewalks and unsafe curb ramps along Washington Avenue made walking hazardous for older adults and people with mobility challenges. The coalition organized walk audits, trained volunteers and captured nearly 1,000 images to document issues, mapping them for public access. Surveys revealed widespread concerns about accessibility and safety. These efforts built momentum for a citywide sidewalk plan and proposals to repair curb ramps, while fostering collaboration among residents, businesses and city officials to create safer, more walkable streets.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Boydton, VA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: Boydton's Tobacco Heritage Trail was seen as unsafe and underused, discouraging walkers, especially older adults. The group conducted walk audits, cleared overgrowth, added wayfinding signs and benches and introduced What3Words for safety. Community hikes and storytelling sessions featuring tobacco heritage helped activate the trail and build engagement. "Adding storytelling changed everything," said an organizer, noting the effort turned skepticism into enthusiasm and prompted infrastructure upgrades that make the trail more inviting for all ages.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Chicago, IL
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023
Project Category: Walkability
Description: Busy intersections near a new commuter rail station posed safety risks for pedestrians, including older adults. The project conducted walk audits at four hazardous crossings and gathered input from nearby residents. Weekly walks and a workshop mapped risks and built partnerships for future improvements. Findings informed city proposals for upgrades such as sensors to monitor near misses, while plans for art and landscaping aim to create a safer, more inviting environment for people traveling on foot or bike.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2022
Project Category: Community Gardens
Description: Older adults in a Baltimore's North Avenue neighborhood needed an accessible place to gather. The project transformed the Red Shed garden with a concrete ADA walkway, a pergola for shade and lighting and spaces for community mosaics. Volunteers created a welcoming event area that now hosts gatherings and cultural celebrations. One participant said, "It means the world to me to be part of building this. We have helped our neighborhood and made something beautiful!"
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Baltimore, MD
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Public spaces improvements to increase high-speed internet availability
Description: Baltimore's digital divide leaves many older adults without affordable internet, cutting off access to telehealth, banking and social connection. At Stadium Place, home to 450 residents age 50-plus, Open Works installed two solar-powered benches offering free Wi-Fi, device charging and seating. Each station operates off-grid with solar panels and 5G routers, creating a resilient resource during outages. Early data shows steady use despite winter weather, and a digital navigator is being trained for upkeep. Designs are being open-sourced to encourage replication. "We hope the solar stations will help connect folks who do not have access to the internet... and spark social connections as folks sit and charge their phones," the team noted.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
LEARN MORE AND STAY INFORMED
Find articles and resources about making communities more livable for people of all ages
Download or order free publications from AARP Livable Communities
Sign up for the free, weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities eNewsletter
Don't see your community listed?
LEARN HOW IT CAN JOIN THE NETWORKConnect with your AARP State Office
AARP has offices in all 50 states as well as in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
AARP Maryland State Office
200 St. Paul Place
Suite 2510
Baltimore, MD 21202
United States