I conducted my neighborhood age friendliness assessment (NAP) on my neighborhood in Oakland, California, called Temescal. Initially named after a creek that ran through the area, Temescal has changed significantly over the years. It used to be a center for commuters of the Oakland trolley line, and at one point held the Bay Area’s largest amusement park. More recently, it has become a center of great restaurants and creative small businesses, and has begun to attract more and more people. All of the changes that have been happening in recent years (a decade or so) have come at a cost, however, by creating and exacerbating gentrification and displacement. These trends have hit older adults specifically hard, because both rent and the cost of living in general have become astronomical. In this way, despite some of the more positive changes in the area for seniors such as traffic calming and community events, the changes in Temescal have made the area less accessible for many older adults.
This project was very enjoyable for me, because it forced me to look at my neighborhood with a new lens, one which I myself will experience down the line. There were parts of the neighborhood I personally enjoy, that I realize many older adults may not be able to do in the same way. I think having that insight is important, particularly for future planners. I think the idea of analyzing a neighborhood’s friendliness in terms of who it is actually serving is an extremely useful tool that can be replicated across many facets of our identities, and it is also a tool that should be used more often in our city planning efforts.
This project was very enjoyable for me, because it forced me to look at my neighborhood with a new lens, one which I myself will experience down the line. There were parts of the neighborhood I personally enjoy, that I realize many older adults may not be able to do in the same way. I think having that insight is important, particularly for future planners. I think the idea of analyzing a neighborhood’s friendliness in terms of who it is actually serving is an extremely useful tool that can be replicated across many facets of our identities, and it is also a tool that should be used more often in our city planning efforts.