Older adults seeking smaller homes are squeezed out by competition from younger buyers

The region's federal public housing waiting list is closed to new applicants.

In Central Massachusetts, starter homes are in short supply, and both younger buyers and older residents hoping to downsize are chasing the same limited options. That overlap is making it tougher for seniors to find a smaller place to live.

What to know

The number of households led by someone 70 or older in Central Massachusetts is expected to rise by 14,800 between 2025 and 2035, according to the Central Massachusetts Housing Snapshot from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, as cited by the Worcester Business Journal.

The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission estimates the region needs 14,000 to 15,000 housing units, the Journal reported, while permits are tracking toward only 8,000 to 9,000 units, leaving a gap of roughly 6,000 homes.

"What we don't have a lot of in our region would be smaller, more accessible homes," said Jordan Hollinger, the commission's planning and transportation researcher. "A lot of our housing stock is older. … So, there's a whole slew of housing typologies that we don't see a lot of, and we call that missing middle housing."

Zoning rules create another barrier. Many towns still limit new multifamily buildings to three units per parcel, the Journal reported, reducing the number of downsizing options available.

More context

For seniors who remain in their homes, rising utility bills and maintenance costs are taking a larger share of their fixed incomes.

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On the market-rate side, options include The Arbella at Bramble Hill, a 123-unit Worcester community for adults 55 and older developed by United Group of Companies, according to the Worcester Business Journal.

At the Worcester Housing Authority, CEO Alex Corrales said about 10,000 older applicants are waiting for public housing, with wait times of three to five years or longer. The authority's federal public housing list is no longer accepting new applicants.

Four federally funded buildings make up more than 800 of those apartments, the Journal reported. A fifth property, Greenwood Gardens, has 62 units and is funded by the state to serve seniors and people with disabilities.

Residents often remain in place for 15 to 20 years, and sometimes even longer, which leaves few vacancies for people on the waitlist, the Journal reported. New construction in Worcester can cost between $400,000 and $600,000 per unit, adding another hurdle to increasing affordable supply.

What's being done?

The planning commission is also testing a three-year program called HomeShare, designed to help older residents stay in their homes while making additional housing available to others, according to the Journal.

The Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds are supporting the pilot, which matches homeowners who have extra room with people looking for affordable housing.

At Curtis Apartments, officials want to demolish and rebuild 372 aging units while adding 157 more. Lakeside Apartments is also being redeveloped, with plans to increase its total from 202 units to about 350, the Journal reported. Both projects are expected to include more accessible units.

Corrales also said he envisions converting the 44-unit Booth Apartments, which sits on more than 7 acres, into 200 to 300 units of senior housing, the Journal reported. He wants the redeveloped site to include a health clinic, meal or nutrition support, and group activities to keep residents connected to the community.

Beyond those efforts, he said modular construction could be another way to reduce costs.

Corrales said expanding affordable housing will require help beyond Worcester itself.

"The hope is that you'll start seeing more housing being built, not just in Worcester, but in the surrounding towns as well," he said.

Where can I learn more?

The shortage of smaller homes in Central Massachusetts reflects a broader housing crunch facing older adults.

• In Massachusetts, zoning rules make it illegal to build 1,000-square-foot starter homes, though voters could change that.

• Springfield, Massachusetts, created a $1 million property-tax relief fund for seniors and disabled homeowners.

• In Pittsfield, Massachusetts, an affordable manufactured home project was nearly sold out within months of opening.

• The U.S. is facing a worsening senior housing shortage as baby boomers reach age 80.

• Massachusetts is 15.6% of the way toward its goal of 222,000 new homes, while the state's housing chief supports site review reform.