Strategies and Policy
- Create a consumer-driven marketplace where contractors and installers, healthcare providers and technology solutions can scale their products and services to meet the needs of an aging population living throughout the community.
- Form a buyer’s club between business and consumer members.
- Build a coalition of leaders from the construction, technology and home-health industries, as well as from relevant agencies at all levels of government, to develop incentives to make homes more age-friendly.
- Educate and inform business, government leaders and agencies, the healthcare system and consumers about the process and benefits of updating homes.
- Advocate for financial incentives that make it less expensive to update homes using age-friendly improvements rather than simply remodeling, thereby encouraging people of al ages, who are already spending their own funds to make home improvements, to do so in an age friendly way.
- Remove barriers to allow consumers, especially those who have not reached retirement age, to access $17 trillion in pre-tax retirement savings like IRA’s, 401K’s/403b’s and health savings accounts for qualifying expenditures.
- Develop rules, processes, and regulations for a streamlined approval clearinghouse to manage certification of eligible expenses.
- Track state and local activities. Provide organizing, technical assistance, and training to groups and communities.
- Activate citizens and community groups to educate and influence legislators and regulators.
There are many examples and models:
- Solar Industry tax credits
- Insurance policy spending and behavior subsidies
- Weatherization programs
- Cash for clunkers
- Housing, highway and transportation subsidies
- Affordable housing programs
- CDBG funding
- Social Investment Bonds
- Home Mortgages
- Home insurance premium breaks for burglar alarms
Precedents:
[Skip to Content]
Design for Life Montgomery
Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit
Howard County Livable Home Tax Credit