BETWEEN US
Margaret Guroff INTERIM EDITOR IN CHIEF
Home Is Worth Fighting For
Colorado neighbors Bob Mostek and John Richards
UNLESS YOU live in a mobile home community, your main knowledge of them may come from news reports after disasters hit: tornadoes, hurricanes, floods. Such crises affect more older people than you might expect: Nearly half of mobile home residents are 55-plus.
But the same things that can make these parks vulnerable to extreme weather—the low-slung, modest dwellings that bring neighbors into close daily contact—can also be a source of inspiring resilience. In “Standing Up for Their Homes,” we tell the story of one Colorado park where residents found their quiet and affordable lifestyle threatened by a sale. They banded together to halt the sale and change their destiny.
It’s a story we’re proud to spotlight, because one of AARP’s main missions is to help older people choose how—and where—they live. Recently, that meant working in Congress to support the June passage of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. This landmark housing law will help households recover more quickly from natural disasters and provide funding to low-income homeowners for needed home repairs.
At the state level, AARP has pushed for legal protections against companies that pressure older people to sell their homes for cash. And at both state and local levels, AARP has supported zoning changes to increase the supply of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), such as backyard cottages, where homeowners can downsize on their own property.
For advice and news on how to keep your own home safe and affordable, visit aarp.org/housing.
They’re on Your Phone and in Our Hearts
AFTER YOU READ our cover story about America’s top 10 influencers over 50, check out AARP’s own social media stars, including Craig Moorhead, the face of our TikTok channel (tiktok.com/@aarp), where he explores aging, nostalgia and pop culture in fun, relatable ways.
There’s also the Gen X Takeover creator collective: four social media humorists currently on an AARP-sponsored tour, performing stand-up and dispensing social commentary from a Gen X perspective. Visit aarp.org/genXtakeover for more information.