Overview
In February 2025, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, under the leadership of EOHLC, released Massachusetts’ first statewide comprehensive housing plan—“A Home for Everyone”. To further build upon the findings outlined in the state plan, Governor Maura T. Healey established the Special Commission on Senior Housing (the Commission) on August 6, 2024, with the signing of the Affordable Homes Act.
The Commission included a 20-member advisory council consisting of housing developers, service providers, members of the legislature, and other key stakeholders supporting the needs of older adults. The Commission was charged with studying and making recommendations on creating affordable and healthy senior housing. Recommendations included, but not be limited to, strategies to better align housing, homecare and healthcare policy and programs to increase access and opportunity for residents to age in their community, including incentivizing multigenerational housing, home-sharing, development of ADUs to limit loneliness in adult populations, assist young families and limit the overall cost to the Commonwealth.
The Commission first convened on March 20, 2025, and met as a full body each month through the release of the public report in February 2026. To address all the charges outlined in the legislation, the Commission developed informal working groups that met on an as-needed basis to examine pressing challenges in expanding the supply of housing affordable to older adults and develop proposals for administrative, regulatory and legislative actions which could help to mitigate or overcome these challenges.
Objective
- Studying the current and anticipated future housing needs for older adults in Massachusetts
- Providing recommendations for creating affordable and healthy senior housing
Accomplishments
- Highlighted key findings and trends on older adult’s housing status within Massachusetts including future projections.
- Provided key recommendations for the Administration to consider and seek to implement to improve access to housing and livable communities for older adults.
Reflection
- Housing costs are the biggest driver of economic insecurity for older adults and HLC projects significant growth in the number of households headed by individuals over age 75 between today and 2035.
- The Commission was able to identify key recommendations across the following domains: 1. Finance and General Development; 2. Place-Based Services; 3. Accessibility, Maintenance, and Modification; 4. Housing Lifecycle Management and Search.
- The Administration alone cannot solve for the current and future housing needs of older adults—this will take legislative, municipal, and general public action.
- Further work is needed to implement and expand the recommendations put forth by the Commission.
ReiMAgine Aging 2030 Goal Alignment
- Goal 1: Economic Opportunity & Security
Contact and Resources
Contact: Joshua.cuddy@mass.gov
Resource: Senior Housing Commission