The San Rafael Age-Friendly Task Force seeks to work with local government, community groups and individuals to make San Rafael a place where those who live and contribute so much to the community can continue to be a vibrant and essential part of its culture as they age.
The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities typically pass a resolution in support of membership in the network:
Membership in the network:
- Helps local leaders identify and understand community needs
- Serves as an organizing structure for making community improvements
- Fosters partnerships among community groups and local stakeholders
- Provides leadership opportunities for volunteers
- Enables changes that benefit people of all ages
Membership provides a community with:
- Public recognition for committing to becoming age-friendly
- Resources for identifying and assessing community needs
- Access to technical assistance and expert-led webinars
- Support and best practice materials from AARP
What membership isn’t:
- Communities in the AARP age-friendly network are not retirement villages, gated developments, nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Nor are they planned communities or age-restricted housing developments.
- Membership in the network does not mean that the community is, currently, “age-friendly” or a great place to retire.
- Membership in the network does not mean AARP endorses the towns, cities, counties or states as places to live.
With a population of more than 58,000, San Rafael is the largest city and the county seat of Marin, the most rapidly aging county in the state. The City of San Rafael embraces the fact that our community is aging-in-place. Our middle age and older residents have become a larger proportion of the City’s population since 2000. We have more than 6,000 senior households, with more than one-half including residents that are 75 years and older, of which 73 percent are homeowners. As our community population ages, we understand that there is greater need for more supportive services and housing options.
In 2020, we completed the planning phase, assessment and the Age Friendly San Rafael Strategic Action Plan. Our outreach to the community included conducting ageism training – “Reframing Aging ” with the FrameWorks Institute, key informant interviews and a community survey in English and Spanish. On March 15, 2021, San Rafael City Council formally accepted the Age-Friendly Strategic Plan.
The City of San Rafael is now part of the Age-Friendly Network and is the largest Age-Friendly city in Marin.
To read the ‘age-Friendly San Rafael Action Plan, visit the City of San Rafael website. To learn more about the AARP Network, visit the AARP Livable Communities website.
