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• Strengthen equitable usage of regional parks and trails by all our region's residents, <br />such as across race, ethnicity, class, age, ability and immigrant status. <br />Providing housing and transportation choices for a range of demographic <br />characteristics and economic means <br />Over time, our region has grown into a variety of communities and neighborhoods with a wide <br />range of housing. Single-family homes comprise 58% of our region's current housing stock. <br />Demand for this housing stock is projected to continue, but the segments of our population that <br />are growing will consist of households that may increasingly prefer alternative forms of <br />neighborhoods. Recent trends support this shift. Since 2000, only 43% of our region's building <br />permits have been for single-family detached homes; in 2012, the region issued building permits <br />for more multifamily units than all housing units in any of the previous three years. The livability <br />challenge around these shifts is to create communities that offer satisfying experiences and <br />meet the daily needs for living, shopping, working, and recreation for each group, not simply <br />housing developments that offer a place to own or rent. <br />As residents age, their needs, preferences and travel behavior shift; some communities are <br />poorly designed to accommodate their residents' future needs. Growing cohorts of residents, <br />including international immigrants and young professionals living alone, may need housing and <br />transportation choices beyond what our region now offers. As infrastructure ages, rebuilding will <br />be necessary. Going forward, each jurisdiction will have to examine whether it offers satisfying <br />living options for its current and future residents. <br />Some of the larger groups and the experiences they may value include: <br />• Seniors —the "Silver Tsunami" —will be the fastest growing segment of our population, <br />doubling in absolute numbers by 2030 and reaching one in five of our region's residents <br />by 2040. As people age, their housing preferences tend to change. While some choose <br />to move to a downtown condo and others want to stay close to their places of worship, <br />friends or family members (especially the grandchildren), most seniors share common <br />interests in less household maintenance, smaller housing units, and easy access to <br />nearby goods and services, especially health care. Are there adequate housing choices <br />available for seniors to stay active, conveniently access goods and services, and/or be <br />near friends and family? <br />• The Millennial generation, already the largest generation demographically, seems to <br />have different lifestyle preferences. Millennials tend to favor urban amenities, access to <br />transit and bicycling options, and more dense and active neighborhoods rather than the <br />auto -oriented subdivisions of their youth. Between stagnant entry-level wages, higher <br />student loan debt, and delayed marriage and child -rearing, Millennials are less likely to <br />move into homeownership at the same ages at their predecessors. Critical to the <br />region's future prosperity, will we have places that retain and attract these young <br />individuals and households? If their living preferences continue to diverge from their <br />parents' generation, will our region's communities continue to offer them satisfying living <br />situations? <br />• New Americans move to our region from across the globe, bringing with them unique <br />cultural histories that build the richness of our region. As these residents come to the <br />region, will they find places that facilitate their settlement, provide affordability, <br />community and employment, and offer opportunities to prosper? <br />To support the livability of our region for our changing demographics, the Council will: <br />DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT <br />Last revised: February 21, 2014 26 <br />