Posted by – Stephanie Carroll, Manager of Business Development & Community Relations
In 2012, Auburn Hills began engaging in Age-Friendly planning initiatives. The journey has been an amazing experience and we’ve been able to create meaningful relationships with the residents in our community through this process.
Yesterday, at the Council of Michigan Foundations gathering, Mayor Kevin McDaniel outlined all the work done to date by staff, Planning Commission and City Council. I can say that this has been a tremendous team effort.
The question on everyone’s mind yesterday is why do we need age-friendly communities? In order to prepare for these demographic changes, Auburn Hills enrolled in the AARP Age-Friendly Network in 2013. Auburn Hills was the first municipality from the State of Michigan to be accepted into this prestigious and growing network.
This program was key to changing our thinking. It involved an assessment of the community, the creation of an action plan, and eventually implementation of the plan and finally an evaluation of its performance.
Along with Mayor William R. Wild of Westland, Mayor McDaniel outlined the policies and priorities communities are building upon that will continue to make Auburn Hills a desirable and inclusive community in which to live, work and play.