Hello Friends, I want to thank each of you who took the time to share your ideas and suggestions with me on this topic. I will do my best to bring these ideas forward, and I've printed them out to take with me in case I have the opportunity to share them with an appropriate staff member of this initiative.
These were wonderfully thoughtful contributions covering a wide range of issues from the specifics of green building to the interconnecting systems of property taxes and community relationship structures. many thanks, Gay On Sep 1, 2008, at 8:43 AM, Valorie Rockney wrote: > Hi Gay, > > Thanks for the chance to give input! Here are some ideas: > > 1. senior co-housing is growing in popularity. Here's a reference: > http://www.cohousing.org/taxonomy/term/105 > > 2. elder cottages such as we have in Tompkins County are > theoretically a great idea, but (from what I've read) as built > they're nearly as toxic as FEMA trailers. Housing for elders (and > everyone else) should be free of toxic materials, especially > formaldehyde, heavy metals, pesticides, toxic glues and adhesives, > etc . So conventional plywood, kitchen cabinets, and carpeting, for > example, should be avoided, and the housing should be built of > stable, non-toxic, non-offgassing materials. > > 3. I want to live in a community, where my neighbors and I know each > other well. For me, that includes neighbors of all ages, though I > know not everyone feels this way. > > 4. My experience at Ecovillage tells me that it's important to keep > cars out of the center of a neighborhood, and to confine parking to > the periphery. The central space immediately becomes more social if > it is free of cars. > > 5. Even beyond the energy savings, a passive solar house is much > cheerier and more fun to live in than a conventional design. Houses > should be oriented to the sun, with carefully designed overhangs to > shade out the sun in the summer and bring it inside in the winter. > > 6. Some elements of universal design are especially important: single- > story housing, good-sized doors, clear pathways with good traction, > etc. It's important for people who are downsizing to have plenty of > closets, and closets are also good sound-proofing features along > walls shared with neighbors. > > All best, > Valorie > > > > On Sep 1, 2008, at 1:13 AM, Gay Nicholson wrote: > >> Hello Colleagues, >> >> I've been invited to join about 50 others in Albany on September 4 to >> provide input into a new planning and zoning initiative of the NYS >> Office for the Aging and Department of State regarding housing for >> older persons. New York has a large and growing population of older >> folks, and we need to put together a resource tool kit for >> communities >> that will help them design wisely for aging in place and for long- >> term >> care. This tool kit would include model zoning ordinances, >> guidelines, examples of successful strategies, and resources for >> technical assistance. >> >> They are very interested in learning about what is out there in terms >> of green building practices, healthy community design, energy >> efficiency/renewables, and sustainable development that foresees the >> needs of tomorrow's seniors. >> >> They also want to know what the barriers are to implementing some of >> the practices that might help us keep seniors healthy and happy in >> New >> York State. >> >> I would appreciate hearing your ideas and suggestions, or learning of >> resources you think might be useful, so that I can forward them into >> this conversation. Of perhaps greatest value would be examples of >> exemplary housing and community design that you think they should >> know >> about. >> >> And for you fellow baby boomers who will be part of the 5 million NYS >> oldsters in 2025, maybe it is a good idea to spend some time >> imagining >> exactly what kind of housing and community design will be appealing >> to >> you and your family in the future. What kind of transitions do you >> imagine for yourself in terms of housing and how that relates to your >> other needs? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. >> >> Please send along by Wednesday afternoon. >> >> thanks, >> Gay >> >> ---------------------------------------------------- >> Gay Nicholson, Ph.D. >> >> 607-533-7312 (home office) >> 607-279-6618 (cell) >> >> 1 Maple Avenue >> Lansing, NY 14882 >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> Sustainable Tompkins >> Program Coordinator >> www.sustainabletompkins.org >> >> Southern Tier Energy$mart Communities >> Regional Coordinator >> Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County >> 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850 >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County >> area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ >> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >> [email protected] >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org ---------------------------------------------------- Gay Nicholson, Ph.D. 607-533-7312 (home office) 607-279-6618 (cell) 1 Maple Avenue Lansing, NY 14882 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sustainable Tompkins Program Coordinator www.sustainabletompkins.org Southern Tier Energy$mart Communities Regional Coordinator Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County 615 Willow Ave., Ithaca, NY 14850 [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
