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South Bend unveils Age‑Friendly action plan aimed at helping residents age in place
Summary
Deputy Chief of Staff Ali Doles Lane presented a three‑year Age‑Friendly Action Plan with 25 actions across housing, transportation, communications and health services; plan includes KPIs, named partners, and an implementation timeline stressing city budgeting and policy roles.
Ali Doles Lane, deputy chief of staff to the mayor, presented the South Bend Regional Age‑Friendly Action Plan at the June 22 Common Council meeting, describing a three‑year, action‑oriented roadmap meant to make the city more livable for older residents.
"South Bend and St. Joseph County both have aging populations," Doles Lane told the council. She said by 2030 "almost a fifth of Saint Joe County residents will be over the age 65," and the plan offers concrete steps — 25 actions across five local goals — to prepare housing, transportation, communications and health services for that shift.
The plan is guided by AARP’s eight domains of livability and pairs each action with implementation partners and key performance indicators to be measured annually, Doles Lane said. She listed the city, Real Services, United Way of St. Joseph County, the public library and La Casa de Amistad among named partners and described target timelines of one to three years for priority actions.
Council members asked few questions at the end of the presentation. Dr. Oliver Davis thanked staff and described the work as timely and personal, while President Lee thanked Doles Lane for the briefing and noted the council’s role mainly lies in policy and budget decisions that will support implementation.
Doles Lane said the city will begin year‑one actions this summer and that an annual progress report tied to the plan's KPIs will be provided once baseline data are available.
The council did not take a vote on the plan at the meeting; Doles Lane encouraged members and residents to follow up with staff if they had questions about implementation or the partnerships described.
