New Opportunities for Health and Housing Solutions

As housing prices soar and national conversations focus on affordability and increasing housing supply, a transformative movement is gaining momentum. Wellness real estate—a rapidly expanding sector aimed at integrating health, community, and well-being into neighborhood design—offers solutions not only to the housing crisis but also to public health challenges. By 2034, the population of people over 65 will surpass children under 18 for the first time in US history, and half of today's five-year-olds in industrialized countries are expected to live to 100. As older Americans have increased by 34 percent in the last decade and now make up 18 percent of the population, the need for health-focused, inclusive housing has never been greater. Through case studies of wellness communities, emerging community development approaches that directly address health and housing needs, and innovative investment models, we examine the benefits of creating wellness-centric communities that prioritize biophilic design, walkability, social connectivity, and affordability. Students explore micro issues, such as the use of natural landscapes, access to healthy food, and shared spaces to foster physical, mental, and emotional well-being. We also address the policy, zoning and land use issues that enable and/or discourage the creation of such communities. Additionally, we focus on innovative financing models and civic engagement strategies that can make wellness real estate accessible to a broader range of people, especially moderate-income households. The course delves into the public health implications of traditional versus wellness-focused community design, examining how social connectivity can combat isolation—an issue that poses significant health risks across ages, particularly for older adults. As US health care companies start investing significant resources into the housing field and as the population ages and demand for wellness products grows, students also explore how solutions like wellness-focused communities, multigenerational housing, and new public-private partnerships can address both the housing shortage and the need for socially connected, age-friendly, and health-centered communities.