Boulder wants to help seniors rent out spare bedrooms to age in place
With Boulder’s senior population expected to grow sharply in the coming decades, the city is looking for housing options to meet anticipated needs. One solution the city is actively pursuing is a home-sharing program, which city staff presented to the Housing Advisory Board in June.
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The city’s senior population is projected to grow significantly by 2050. While Boulder residents ages 40-59 are projected to increase by 15% by 2050, the city’s older population is expected to grow even faster. Residents ages 60-79 are projected to increase by 22%, and those ages 80 and older by 200%, according to the Colorado State Demographer’s Office.
Community feedback from seniors and caregivers revealed that many older adults are caught in the middle, earning too much to qualify for Boulder Housing Partners housing but not enough to comfortablyafford market-rate housing. Some seniors also said they were struggling to maintain their homes.
Under the proposed home-sharing model, a senior would rent out a room in their home to a tenant. The city would help facilitate the process, potentially through a nonprofit partnership, by helping vet tenants and complete background checks to help create compatible matches.
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The proposal grew out of feedback from seniors, who said theywanted to remain in their homes, had difficulty downsizing or were looking for companionship. Home-sharing could also provide extra income and an additional set of hands around the house.
The city is currently working to identify a source of funding and plans to issue a request later this year for a vendor to operate the program.
Other senior housing developments expected over the next several years include Presbyterian Manor and a development on the Iris Fields property by luxury senior living developer The Academy. Frasier Meadows, which currently has a waiting list of about 700 people, is also looking to expand.
