Former planner: Prepare for aging population

Weden, who worked as a planner for 34 years, is retired himself now and has been giving presentations on smart land use with an emphasis on building sustainable housing for the region’s aging population.

"Quality of life will be impacted by how we plan our cities,” Weden said.

Over time, people become non-drivers. One in five people over age 65 no longer drive for a variety of reasons, including high gas prices.

A non-driver makes 12 percent fewer trips to the doctor, 59 percent fewer trips to the supermarket or a restaurant and 65 percent fewer social trips to visit family, for instance, Weden said.

"This decline in quality of life leaves people trapped at home,” he said.

Single-family homes are dependent on the automobile, he said, and the region needs to start building suitable housing for those who do not drive for quality-of-life and economic reasons.

"We need to make livable, urban, green neighborhoods with the right densities that make walkability possible,” he said. "They need to be convenient, safe and diverse.”

With public transportation being hit by severe budget cuts at the state level, Weden said cities need to create land-use patterns that will put riders on buses.

"There is no bus fairy,” he said. "Buses aren’t just going to show up in suburban cul-de-sacs.”

Better land-use patterns will also help create a healthier senior population, he said.

One in three non-driving seniors in an urban setting take daily walks compared to only one-in-17 non-driving seniors who live in the suburbs, according to Weden’s research.

The basic goal is to let seniors remain active, independent and engaged in family, friends and community, he said.

The suburban pattern of the past 50 years promised three things — auto convenience, cheap gas and that people would drive forever, Weden said.

"The suburban model doesn’t work so much anymore,” he said.

Some cities such as San Mateo have already started planning for the future, he said.

Weden praises San Mateo’s effort to look at its own population and what the needs of seniors will be in the future by commissioning a study called "Aging Well San Mateo.”

The city spent $75,000 on a consultant to compile demographics of the city’s population to determine what seniors need to live comfortably.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Canzian has rolled out the report to other cities in recent months in an effort to create a collaborative effort to meet the needs of the region’s aging population.

Lack of funds, however, has prevented the city from taking any action on the report.

"It is a good starting point. Other cities will need to follow suit,” he said. "San Mateo is well-positioned to accommodate seniors.”

As baby boomers start to retire, the region will have to start to build housing for replacement workers, he said.

"The future quality of life depends on future generations being able to afford to live here,” he said.

Planning ahead will help keep the economy vibrant and keep people healthier, he said.

"It can be a better world if we prepare for the future,” he said.

Bill Silverfarb can be reached by e-mail: silverfarb@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.