As stated in the AARP Policy Book, "A livable community is one that is safe and secure. It offers choices in where to live and how to get around. And it equitably serves residents of all ages, ability levels, incomes, races, ethnicities, and other backgrounds." Follow the policy book link at the end of this page to learn more.

Additional features of a Complete Street include well-maintained sidewalks for pedestrians, calm traffic speeds, buffers between people and cars and a lot of safe places for crossing the street. Follow the link at the end of this page to see an example of a Complete Street.

The "8 Domains of Livability" is an organizing framework that's often used by policymakers to assess the availability and quality of the community features that impact the well-being of older adults and help make communities more livable for people of all ages. The domains are commonly listed as follows: (1) Outdoor Spaces and Buildings (2) Transportation (3) Housing (4) Social Participation (5) Respect and Social Inclusion (6) Work and Civic Engagement (7) Communication and Information (8) Community and Health Services. Follow the link at the end of this page to learn more about the "8 Domains of Livability."

A walk audit can help individuals, groups and local leaders assess the walkability of the sidewalks and streets in their community. AARP has developed a series of free, printable walk audit checklists for people and groups to conduct their on walk audits. Find a link to them at the bottom of this page.

Parklets are essentially parking spots for people rather than cars. They can be used by restaurants as a space for outdoor dining or in neighborhoods as a place for people to gather and sit outside. A similar concept is a "Pocket Park," which is a small outdoor space with greenery and perhaps amenities (such as landscaping and seating). Vacant lots or spaces between buildings are easily converted into pocket parks. See the link at the end of this page for more about parklets, including a "recipe" for creating one.

A protected bike lane is a dedicated lane for cyclists that is protected from motor vehicle traffic by some sort of divider or separator, such as a concrete barrier, landscaping, fencing or even a line of parked cars. Follow the link at the end of this page to read the article "10 Ways Bicycle-Friendly Streets Are Good for People Who Don't Ride Bicycles."

Transit-oriented development describes a mixture of housing, office, retail, and/or other commercial development and amenities that are integrated into a walkable neighborhood and located within a half-mile of quality public transportation. Follow the link at the end of this page to learn more about transit-oriented development. 

As small houses or apartments that exist on the same property lot as a single-family residence, ADUs — or Accessory Dwelling Units — are often better known as garage or basement apartments, in-law suites, backyard bungalows. ADUs are a traditional home type that is re-emerging as an affordable and flexible housing option that meets the needs of older adults and young families alike. AARP has several articles and resources (including free publications) about ADUs. Follow the link below to visit AARP.org/ADUs.

Missing Middle Housing is a term used to describe mid-sized, middle-income housing types (such as small apartment buildings and cottages) that were once common in or near walkable downtown areas but stopped being built in the 1940s due to regulatory constraints, the shift to auto-related patterns of development and financing challenges. Follow the link at the end of this page to learn more.