Exploring the Impact of Urban Rezoning Policy on Attitudes toward Aging in Place

Aging-in-place always poses a challenge for finding a balance between individual needs and environmental demands. When urban neighborhoods become the focus of major urban redevelopment, this balance can be even harder to find. The Jamaica Gateway Urban Renewal Area (JURGA) in Queens, New York, presents a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics of “aging in place” on a local level in a changing urban environment. Using community-asset-mapping and needs-assessment methodologies in collaboration with forty-eight residents at six senior centers located within the urban renewal study area, attitudes toward this historic commercial, residential, and rezoning development plan were assessed. Building on the essential features of the “age-friendly” cities initiative developed by the World Health Organization (2005), standardized surveys and structured focus-groups were used to assess attitudes toward the potential impact of this 368-block development area in a community that is home to over 25,000 people over age 65. Descriptive statistics were used with scaled items to assess attitudes toward the availability of key elements of age-friendly environments including: lack of physical barriers, affordable housing, accessible transportation, and safe and attractive public spaces. Grounded theory and thematic analysis was used to assess qualitative data on individual views of the potential benefits and liabilities of the renewal plan for older adults in the community. Participants highlighted the importance of gathering data from older adults, aging-in-place, and other long-term residents to fully explore the impact of a renewal project of this size and scope.