Statement from the Elderly Council: More affordable intermediate housing for the elderly
The Tampere Elderly Council, in its meeting on March 19, 2025, discussed how intermediate housing for the elderly should be better considered in the city's planning. This issue was raised during the presentation by the Chairman of the Housing and Real Estate Committee, Deputy Mayor Jouni Markkanen, as well as in the city strategy discussion and the preliminary review of the welfare plan.
Intermediate housing combats loneliness
Intermediate housing is for elderly people who are still in good health but will later need an accessible apartment and services, and who want to prepare for this in advance. However, intermediate housing is also much more: communal dining, communal saunas, hobbies, and social interaction with peers. Intermediate housing addresses the biggest concerns expressed in the elderly well-being survey: insecurity and loneliness. Intermediate housing requires better-than-average communal spaces and coordination of communal activities.
Currently, intermediate housing mainly consists of senior apartments, which are purchased as shares. Additionally, coordination services and actual welfare services are paid for separately. Therefore, elderly people with lower incomes practically have no opportunities for intermediate housing. The Elderly Council demands a plan from the city: how to provide a wider range of different types of intermediate housing for the elderly throughout the city, including both rental and owner-occupied housing.
Proposal: Survey and plan for elderly housing needs
The city can influence the type of housing that is built through land allocation conditions. However, the current problem is that builders have no financial incentive to construct affordable intermediate housing. The Elderly Council proposes that the next mayoral program include a goal to survey the housing needs of the elderly in Tampere and to create a plan to meet these needs. This plan would include the aforementioned intermediate housing as well as addressing accessibility and comfort issues in the existing housing stock.
Additionally, the Tampere Elderly Council highlighted the need for a dedicated Association House for the elderly. A centrally located, accessible Association House with spaces for various activities has been on the wish list of elderly organizations for decades. For example, Oulu already has an Association House. Having a dedicated house would also result in long-term savings for the city, as the portion of grants currently used for rent and usage fees could be reduced.
