College Park, Maryland Print

Joined the AARP Age-Friendly Network:
6/4/2021

Lead Agency: City of College Park Age-Friendly Workgroup

Age-Friendly Taskforce/Advisory Council/Commission

Action Plan Download

An action plan is based on the results of community surveys identifying needs within the 8 Domains of Livability that influence the health and quality of life of older adults. While there is flexibility in how a plan is created and what it will do, every action plan includes a statement about what can be achieved, target dates for goal completion, identification of participating organizations and indicators to measure progress. The action plan is an "active" rather than static document. Revisions and amendments are a sign of program improvement and progress.

Action Plan Highlights

  1. Transportation

    Improve the streetscape by adding sidewalks, shade trees and lighting. Prioritize creation of safe bicycle and walking routes and add designated parking hubs for bike and scooter share programs.

  2. Outdoor Spaces

    Expand the local community garden program, designing and constructing new gardens with local partners, including schools.

  3. Health and Community Services

    Partner with the University of Maryland to allow older adults to use campus fitness facilities and construct a new community center with a wellness focus.

Progress Report Download

College Park strengthened age friendly efforts by expanding green spaces, improving mobility and safety, and supporting housing options that enable residents to age in place. Tree planting efforts and the maintenance of community and permaculture gardens enhanced environmental quality and access to outdoor space, with plans to increase garden availability. Sidewalk construction and repairs, ADA curb ramp installations, and new pedestrian safety measures improved walkability, while bike and scooter share hubs and expanded transit staffing increased transportation options. Housing efforts were reinforced through participation in a county ADU task force and a Habitat for Humanity partnership delivering home repairs and retrofits funded by ARPA, helping older adults remain safely in their homes.

Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects

Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, & Health Laboratory at the University of Maryland School of Public Health (2020)

Hyattsville, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Addressing community health

Description: This project created an online tool -- called My Block Counts -- which allows community members to collect and report information related to local environmental health. Before rolling out the tool, researchers held online workshops to teach the community about environmental justice, public infrastructure and community health. Then they invited community members to use My Block Counts to do an inventory of their neighborhoods. The virtual tool guides users through a series of questions about the built environment. Once users complete the questions, their responses are available for other users to access. Project organizers hope the data collected will help community members advocate for improved infrastructure in their neighborhoods. In the future, they plan to roll out the tool on a national level.

City of Takoma Park (2026)

Takoma Park, MD

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026

Project Category: Innovative home maintenance, repair and support services

Description: Professional home assessments will be added to an existing program to guide repair and accessibility upgrades for older adults. Clear recommendations will help volunteers and contractors complete practical updates to support aging in place.

ABOUT THE AARP COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

Launched in 2017, the annual AARP Community Challenge provides small grants to local governments and nonprofits in order to fund quick-action, ready-to-implement projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages.

See all nearby projects

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AARP Maryland State Office

200 St. Paul Place
Suite 2510
Baltimore, MD 21202
United States

Phone: 866-542-8163
Fax: 410-895-0269
Email: [email protected]