Juneau’s population continues to grow older: seniors were only 6 percent of the population in 1980, and they are now more than a quarter the population.
Housing is short for older residents. A new apartment complex that opened in September has added nearly a third more independent living units to Juneau’s capacity.
Sitting near the mouth of the Mendenhall River, Trillium Landing is a new apartment complex — including a gym, common area and solar panels on the roof — for people 55 and older.
The 49-unit building has a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Some are rented at market value.
Trillium gets a federal tax break for renting many of them as affordable housing.
Barbara Oudekerk moved in at the end of September. She said Trillium’s affordability was a major selling point.
“It was so hard to find a place to rent, and a place that would fit my budget … and being a Social Security person you can’t afford a big nice place, but this is just more than I could imagine.”
The 78-year-old moved to Juneau from Haines a year ago to be closer to family after her husband passed away.
She couldn’t find housing at first.
“I waited a whole year for this to come open, and it’s more than I could ever imagine. When I walked in and got to see it for the first time, all clean, and perfect,” she said. “There’s not a thing I would change. … I can’t be more grateful.”
Rain Coast Data director Meilani Schijvens said this isn’t surprising
“The interesting thing about Juneau is if you go back and you look at the 1890 census, the number one thing they talk about there is the lack of housing in this community,” Schijvens said. “You can kind of go and read any document talking about the community of Juneau from the 1890s to now, and housing has always been an issue.”
Schijvens adds that with 50- and 60-year-olds creating the largest age demographic in Juneau, housing that accommodates an aging population is going to become more important.
The apartment complex is only for older people who live independently.
Trillium manager Paula Lindsay has had to turn away people looking for assisted living.
Senior Citizen Support Services is planning to build an assisted living facility near Trillium Landing. They hope to have it completed in early 2019.
Once open, it will be Juneau’s first private assisted living facility.