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Resident urges Waterloo council to explore small homes for seniors
Summary
At the public‑comment portion of the meeting, Waterloo resident Susan Barker urged the city to begin discussion of small, 500–700 ft² homes for seniors, saying an online post gathered hundreds of responses and signaled community interest.
Susan Barker, a retired science teacher and longtime Waterloo resident, told the council during public comment that she and a loose group of neighbors want the city to explore small homes for seniors.
"We're interested in something in the 5 to 700 ft² range," Barker said, adding that she posted the idea on the Waterloo webpage and quickly collected hundreds of hits — "I had 260 hits and... over 380" in short order, she said. Barker brought photos to demonstrate that small houses can be attractive and said participants want housing they can be proud of.
Barker said the group has no formal organization and that the post was a way to start a conversation rather than to advance a specific development. Council members did not take formal action on her request during the meeting; Barker’s remarks were given during the public‑comment period and no referral or staff direction was recorded in the transcript.
The public comment concluded with thanks to the council. Any next steps — such as staff research, zoning consideration, or a council referral — were not specified at the meeting.
