On Wednesday, May 22, LOCUS Managing Director Christopher Coes joined a panel discussion on America’s new infrastructure needs and livable communities as part of The Atlantic’s Generations Forum.
Moderated by Sommer Mathis, Editor of The Atlantic Cities, the panel also included Sarah Zanton of The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and Sarah Rosen Wartell, President of the Urban Institute. Together they discussed how demographic changes in the United States are affecting the country’s development needs.
Coes began by explaining how Millennials (who are now between 18 to 35 years old), particularly those with college educations, “are asking the question ‘where do I want to live?’ before the question ‘where do I want to have a job?'” Many are choosing walkable, urban places. This trend is also taking hold among Baby Boomers and older Americans, who are seeking out homes in walkable neighborhoods that will make aging in place more feasible.
Throughout, Coes reiterated that different cities with different kinds of assets will and must respond to the coming demand for urbanism differently. LOCUS’s work demonstrating that demand and advocating for better federal policy on real estate issues will help communities everywhere achieve those goals.