The Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative responded to a recent Boston Globe article titled “Will baby boomer homes hit the market soon in ‘silver tsunami’?” through a letter to the editor.
The original article positioned blame on older adults – specifically the baby boomer generation – for holding on to housing by living longer and aging in community. The article lags in mentioning the root causes, which MHAC addressed in its letter.
Aside from using terms like “silver tsunami,” the article also included quotes like ones below:
“Many baby boomers have had very prosperous careers, and that has led to many of them owning multiple properties, whether it be that they own a primary residence and secondary for vacationing, or perhaps a primary and then also in owning investment properties as part of their portfolio,” said Sarah Gustafson, president of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors. “With that, they’re taking up so much of that available inventory, it’s exacerbating the housing shortage that we’ve seen over the past couple of years.”
Here is MHAC’s letter in response to the Globe article in its entirety:
Instead of blaming an entire generation, keep focus on root causes
A critical element for addressing an immense housing supply shortage is how we frame the issue and its potential solutions. Portraying older adults as a barrier to increased housing options is unproductive at best (“Empty nesters are not flying the coop,” March 16). This is especially the case when ageist terms such as “silver tsunami” are used to refer to a demographic trend. It’s particularly troubling when the phrase is tied to a misleading prediction of an impending and sudden transfer of wealth and housing.
Rather than blaming an entire generation (and equating demographics to natural disasters), let’s recognize that people of all ages and circumstances benefit from increased housing supply. Instead of frowning on a natural preference of many people to age in community, we can gain more from addressing how downsizing, locating affordable options, or modifying one’s home have been made largely unattainable for many.
The article eventually notes these issues alongside significant policy progress, but we should lead with a focus on root causes. We can also build on the policy advances with creative solutions such as home sharing, financing for production of accessory dwelling units, and connecting housing with health and support services.
James Fuccione
Executive director
Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative
Lawrence