So, here it is. In the 1950’s we changed the way we built and lived to accommodate an unprecedented demographic shift: The Baby Boom. Our entire population suddenly centered around young couples with their now even younger children. We built entire new cities form-fit to this historic aberration. Parks and playgrounds were needed at first - and then lots and lots of schools.

And then a lot of those playgrounds and schools weren’t needed anymore.

The babies grew up.

Now, the babies are aging. Some of them can’t drive anymore. Many of them need living assistance.

But, strangely, the world we built 60 years ago is still the world that most of these aged baby-boomers live in today. It was a golden and idyllic age for many - remembered so fondly that we continue to build communities inspired by it today. But there hasn’t been another baby boom. Demographics of today do not resemble the population of American in the 50’s. Economic realities are different.

It’s as though our culture encountered a phenomenon so unusual and long-lasting, we forgot that it was just that - a phenomenon. We haven’t yet caught up with the realities of a world without a dominant middle class and with a large contingent of the elderly. The challenges we’ll face in the next few decades will produce profound change in the places we live, as certainly as the baby boom caused change when it began.