Our Approach

For a sustainable and more resilient retirement, many Austin, Texas Baby Boomers, other seniors, and Gen X-ers—especially elder orphans*—are seeking affordable housing. They love urban life and all Austin has to offer, so there has been a strong local movement among seniors to find shared housing / non-market housing solutions.

What about developing a shared-equity housing solution?

Shared housing and non-market housing under a shared-equity** or limited equity ownership structure—often difficult to find in today’s big cities, especially Austin, Texas—seem a smart solution for anyone preferring to live near urban amenities, especially Baby Boomers and other seniors.

(For an explanation of non-market housing and why it’s so difficult to develop in North America, please take a few minutes to watch this excellent video by Vancity Credit Union in Vancouver, British Columbia.)

And what about developing the housing cooperative in conjunction with a mixed-use collaboration space for income-generating opportunities?

Even when secure in a shared housing or non-market housing situation, many Baby Boomers, other seniors, and Gen X-ers may still feel economically fragile and want to continue to work. But forces associated with aging and health may keep them from pursuing anything other than part-time positions, often in entrepreneurial creative pursuits. Shared studio, gallery, and retail spaces open to the wider world would go a long way towards furthering such entrepreneurial ambitions and providing truly sustainable and more resilient retirement solutions.

At Boomers Collaborative, this is just what we do—we are creating a new and innovative mixed-use senior housing cooperative suitable for retirement or near-retirement solutions.

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* Senior citizens with no supportive family to count on.

** “… resale-restricted, owner-occupied housing for lower-income households that remains affordable in perpetuity. There are multiple models for providing shared-equity homes, including shared-equity cooperatives, limited-equity resident-owned communities, community land trusts, and deed-restricted/below-market-rate programs” (Emily Thaden for Shelterforce.org, May 7, 2018).

Architect’s Concept

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The Benefits

Members benefit from shared housing or non-market housing (member residents), entrepreneurial space, equipment, and resources. The wider community benefits because they have a physically- and socially-healthy and resilient group of seniors capable of contributing. Partners also receive important recognition.

Specifically, members will enjoy …

  • A sense of community and communal support.

  • Affordable housing eligibility for at least 50 percent of the project and market-rate affordable housing (missing middle) for the remaining 50 percent.

  • Sustainable, and innovative LEED design.

  • Small business and entrepreneurial supports for the following:

    • Shared office / co-working space.

    • Shared studio for arts, music, and artisanal / maker ventures.

    • Shared retail, recording, and gallery space.

    • Shared event space.

  • On-site commercial kitchen for commercial food / café / grill ventures, as well as communal or hospitality cooking, baking, catering, and event planning.

  • Participation in a variety of transportation solutions (shared and independent), either on or near bus and light rail systems

  • Peace of mind knowing their enhanced security presents fewer problems for those with families.

As suggested, the wider community gains …

  • An economically viable and mentally and physically healthier aging group in less need of community support.

  • A social (and business) unit in a position to contribute and provide support (training and mentoring) to others.

  • A complex that will generate far less traffic since

    • Senior housing in general has a much lower car-ownership rate than other types of housing.

    • It is a live-work model.

In addition, Boomers Collaborative is likely to spur economic development and job growth, especially for youth and recent high school and college graduates. Younger workers will increasingly be needed to manage newer technologies, work as interns and aides, and handle café / grill and delivery kinds of services.

Those partnering with us are no less important because they help influence trends and future development. 

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*If conditions warrant, it is possible to adopt a condominium legal structure with an HOA (homeowners association) under a cooperative organizing agreement so that we may operate as a cooperative.