Erica Wood, Age-Friendly Advocate

June 20, 2022

Katie Cristol, Chair
Arlington County Board

Re: Support for Missing Middle Housing Framework

Dear Ms. Cristol/Katie:

While I have been a member of the Commission on Aging in past years -- and am currently a member of the Commission’s Housing Committee and Age-Friendly Task Force – today I am writing in support of the Missing Middle Housing Framework as an older resident of Arlington since 1978.

In the 44 years I have lived our North Arlington house, I have seen medium-sized single-family homes replaced by much larger, more expensive -- and seemingly less accessible-- homes on our street on all sides. I have wondered what the street would be like with a wider range of housing types more affordable to a broader segment of the community.

At the same time, in my many years of volunteering with the Commission on Aging, and having served on the 2006 Elder Readiness Task Force, issues of housing affordability, accessibility, and connection to services have been high on my radar. From these vantage points, I see a lot of potential in the Missing Middle Housing Framework.

Missing middle housing is not a silver bullet that will solve all housing problems for older adults in the County. But it will move us in that direction, raising the chances of seniors in Arlington finding a “home of their choice” not far from the relationships they may have built up over decades.

Some older residents want to downsize, and they need options that are affordable and accessible, yet these are hard to find. The Missing Middle Framework will simply expand the choices available – making it less likely that long-time Arlingtonians will be forced out of the County for a place to live. Not all missing middle units will be affordable to many older residents, but the price range will go down. And not all missing middle units will be accessible, but smaller ground floor units will be welcome.

Many older residents want their family to be able to live nearby. Currently, most Millennial children of Boomer parents are priced out of the County – in some cases out of the very County where they grew up. The steep cost of housing is one factor that makes visits of older Arlington

residents with their grandchildren living elsewhere a long-distance endeavor. Wouldn’t it be nice if adult children and grandkids could live down the street or in the neighborhood! And easing affordability so that families can live nearby will make it more possible for adult children to offer any needed support and care.

According to the latest census statistics provided to the Commission on Aging, some 53% of adults age 65+ in Arlington live alone. As we learned in the pandemic, isolation can be devastating, and can have grave health and mental health consequences. For these older adults living alone, missing middle housing could bring the potential for connections with neighbors who share the building. “Aging solo” is a trend that is increasingly highlighted across the country. Yet aging solo successfully requires networks and community – which may more likely be achieved in a missing middle housing context than in single family homes.

Some older adults in Arlington need long-term care in a nursing home or assisted living. It is essential that our long-term care residences provide high quality care. A key to high quality of care is the satisfaction of, and support for, direct care staff – registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, dietary aides, medication aides, social workers, and activity directors. Yet most of these low or medium income staff have to travel significant distances to work because they cannot afford to live in Arlington. They get up early, fight traffic, and come to the job stressed, making it harder to focus on the needs of the residents – or to go to and from work in emergencies. In some cases, highly qualified long-term care workers simply don’t take jobs in Arlington because there is nowhere to live nearby.

For all of these reasons and more, I find that the Missing Middle Housing Framework supports older adults in the County, and aligns with the Arlington Age-Friendly Plan – as well as the County’s mission statement to be “a diverse and inclusive world-class urban community.”

Sincerely,

Erica Wood

Cc: County Board Members