The 2026 Environments for Aging Conference + Expo heads to Phoenix March 16-18, bringing two days of keynote and educational sessions for attendees.
Environments for Aging is previewing some of the upcoming educational sessions in a series of Q+As with speakers, sharing what they plan to discuss and key takeaways they’ll offer attendees.
Session: “Delivering Affordable Assisted Living through Evidence-Informed Design”
Wednesday, March 18, 3-4 p.m.
Speakers: Darrin Jolas, licensed Illinois real estate broker, managing director, Vermilion Development (Chicago); Michelle Sablack, partner, WJW Architects (Chicago)
As the population of middle-income seniors grows, the demand for affordable assisted living options is outpacing supply. Creating communities that are both high-quality and affordable requires creative solutions that balance upfront development costs with long-term operational efficiency.
In this session, an architect and developer team will share how they utilized post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) to optimize design decisions to expand into new markets. Attendees will learn how evidence-informed design can identify key priorities that impact occupant health, marketability, and operating costs.
Environments for Aging: What are some of the challenges in meeting the growing need for affordable senior housing?
Darrin Jolas (Credit: Courtesy of Vermilion Acquisitions, LLC)
Darrin Jolas: The need for affordable assisted living is tremendous and growing. The number of middle-income seniors is expected to double within the next five years. With assisted living care already costing more than $75,000 annually, it is likely out of reach for many who need it most.
This unique set of housing and healthcare challenges will require creative solutions. In our presentation, we will address affordable assisted living design, financing, and legislative obstacles, and share strategies to overcome them. Attendees will learn about the critical issues that must be resolved for this program to succeed in their communities and what they can do to help it grow.
EFA: How did you use findings from post-occupancy evaluations to shape the design for new affordable assisted living communities?
Michelle Sablack: The post-occupancy evaluations gave our team the opportunity to understand what design interventions were working well and those that were less successful in the existing communities. From these findings, we identified areas for improvement that became a large focus of our design efforts for future communities.
We were able to rely on the design strategies that were working and then take a deeper dive into those that were presenting challenges.
For example, one finding was the impact of the increased use of motorized wheelchairs in assisted living communities, driving the need for more durable materials and larger maneuvering clearances than accessibility codes may require. This finding informed many design decisions for the new communities that include more durable flooring underlayment, larger accessible unit kitchenettes, and wider common area and accessible unit doors.
EFA: What are some strategies project teams can use to deliver high-quality environments for residents under tight budget constraints?
Michelle Sablack (Credit: Courtesy of WJW Architects, PC)
Sablack: At the early stages of any project, it’s critical to identify principles for design and project goals with as large of a stakeholder group as possible. Then design decisions can then be evaluated through cost/benefit analysis and prioritized according to where dollars will have the largest positive impact on the project design principles and goals.
Another strategy is to identify design interventions that can contribute to multiple project goals with a single product, material, or system. An example of this includes using high-performance windows that simultaneously reduce energy consumption; lessen operating expense due to long-term reduction in repair and maintenance; improve occupant comfort through glare control and thermal performance; are simple, accessible, and easy to operate, allowing residents and staff access to natural daylight and ventilation; and are intentionally designed to maximize views to nature in order to support resident and staff wellness.
EFA: Explain how you balance upfront development costs with long-term operating costs and marketability.
Jolas: One of the major challenges of developing affordable assisted living is price inelasticity. When using Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Medicaid as payer sources, we simply cannot raise rates when operational costs rise. Therefore, a judicious approach to budgeting during the development process, understanding what amenities add value to residents, and knowing what customers are seeking in an affordable assisted living setting are critical to our success.
We have learned that walking paths and activated outdoor spaces are attractive features when marketing these communities. This insight translates into a site selection process that prioritizes the inclusion of such amenities in each of our projects. The cost to incorporate a well-lit walking path with appropriate seating is modest, yet it allows prospective residents to envision a future with fresh air, exercise, and opportunities to socialize with friends and family.
EFA: What’s one takeaway you hope attendees learn from your session?
Sablack: Affordable assisted living can be just as dignified, safe, healthy, and enriching as market-rate properties. Through thoughtful planning, evidence-informed design, and inclusive stakeholder engagement, these communities not only meet high standards, they continue to evolve and improve.
Find updates and additional information on the 2026 EFA Conference + Expo here.
