The Aging in Placers (AIP) “Add Your Voice” on August 14 ranked among our highest attended events. The full title of the event was “Add Your Voice to DeKalb’s Housing Options Shaping Where and How You Live.”
The event began with People Bingo, which encouraged attendees to move around, get to know each other, and enjoy a bit of friendly competition for the bingo win.
The formal presentation began with a “Show & Tell” highlighting the results of an AIP/Georgia Tech project that influenced AIP zoning update recommendations. The project immersed Tech’s architecture students in the communities and homes of Aging in Placers (the “clients”) to get to know the clients and their needs for aging in place.
The August 14 event featured visual examples of retrofits, ranging from accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to roommate houses, duplexes, lot splits, shared backyards, mobility within a community, and accessory commercial units (ACUs). It concluded with the students’ recommendations for DeKalb County zoning updates to support aging in place.
A break and refreshments were followed by Part 2 of the presentation. It focused on attendees adding their voices to help prioritize the AIP draft recommendations for the DeKalb Zoning Update and DeKalb Comprehensive Housing Plan. Print and online forms were provided for attendees to log recommendations as high, medium, low, or not a priority. The goal was to get input from the larger AIP group before submitting recommendations.
Poll results are being analyzed. Results will be communicated via the Aging in Placers newsletter and webpage.
A bonus for attendees was the opportunity to chat with table participants before and after presentations and during the break. Table participants included DeKalb County Human Services, DeKalb Zoning & Sign Ordinance Update Team, DeKalb Comprehensive Housing Plan Team, the Housing Authority of DeKalb County, HouseATL and the DeKalb Housing Roundtable, and Totes Treasures.
Aging in Placers Advocacy Continues
Even though we will submit our current recommendations for the Zoning Update and Comprehensive Housing Plan, our advocacy must continue. The Comprehensive Housing Plan will go before the Board of Commissioners this fall. Aging in Placers will monitor and advocate through plan adoption and during its years of implementation.
The Zoning Update continues through 2027. We will continue our zoning advocacy until the final code is written.
We need all Aging in Placers and supporters to show up and act as we work together to shape how DeKalb supports housing options for aging in place, whether we remain in our current homes or move to new ones in the County.