The Informed Senior

If you are wondering if a child can live in a 55+ community, the short answer is no. However, there are quite a few exceptions to the age restriction within other senior communities, but there are also many steps that will need to be taken to take advantage of those exceptions. Can a child live in a 55+ community? No, generally a child cannot live in a 55+ community; however, a child can live in a retirement community or any senior living community that follows the 80/20 rule. There needs to be plenty of research and questioning of club representatives to make sure that your child can live on the premises with you. Read on to find out the terminology, the regulations, and the questions you should be asking! Retirement Community vs. 55+ Community The first distinction that needs to be made is the difference between a retirement community and an age-restricted 55+ community. Although there is significant overlap between the two main types of senior living arrangements, the main difference between them is the age requirements to apply to live there. Retirement Communities Retirement communities fall under the category of “senior living” and are usually referred to as such when discussing complexes designed for those of retiring age. These communities have amenities created for the sole purpose of making the environment seem almost like a resort or vacation spot. They take extra measures to accommodate their residents’ needs (e.g., wheelchair accessible, walking trails, etc.). The central aspect of retirement communities, in the sense of whether children can live there, is that these communities do not have an age minimum to take residency there. Retirement communities focus more on having an average age range of about 55-65 for their residents. 55+ Communities 55+ communities, also known as “age-restricted communities,” are retirement communities that have a strict age restriction on their residents. These communities are designed entirely to assist with the needs of older homeowners. Because of this, they prefer not to have anyone younger than 55 on their complex. To answer the question of whether a child can live in a 55+ community, the answer is generally no. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but do not count on them! Most, if not all, 55+ communities will not honor the 80/20 rule nor make any exceptions to please just a few residents. Most communities will generally skew toward pleasing the majority of residents, who for the most part, will rather not have children as residents. What is the 80/20 Rule? Although not every 55+ community acknowledges the 80/20 rule, there are some that do acknowledge it. The 80/20 rule means that 80% of your household must have residents that are a minimum of 55 years old; the other 20% of your home can then be made up of members who are less than 55 years of age. Why Can’t a Child Live in a 55+ Community? With the 80/20 rule in effect as well as the retirement community’s ability to create exceptions to the age-restriction rules, it begs the question: Why can’t a child live in a 55+ community? Fair Housing Act Exception First and foremost, you are probably wondering how these senior living retirement communities can even put such a restriction on their residents. This legal immunity from the Fair Housing Act comes from the Housing for Older People Act (HOPA) signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1995. This act allowed for complexes to create an environment with the needs and accommodations necessary for the elderly to live comfortably and safely. To focus their efforts on the facilities and services needed to accomplish this, the government gave HOPA freedom from the Fair Housing Law. This means any senior living retirement community has the legal right to discriminate and limit access for anyone under the age of 55. Because of this ability to discriminate based on age alone, most 55+ communities do not allow anyone under the age of 18 to live on their grounds. Tax Credits As part of the Housing for Older People Act initiative, the government also gives these senior living retirement communities tax credits and breaks. However, there is a stipulation that the average age for their residents must be at least 55 years. Without this average age, the senior living complex would lose its status as a 55+ community. To avoid this almost all of the 55+ communities are fully age-restricted. Even with the 80/20 rule, they do not want to risk lowering their overall average age for their residents. As an extra precaution, most 55+ communities do not allow children to live on their grounds. Quiet Hours One of the appealing features of 55+ communities for elderly residents is quiet. These communities are usually built in a suburban area, away from roads and playgrounds. The residents there are looking to be surrounded by their peers and people of the same age range. To help make sure this trend stays consistent, most 55+ communities do not allow children to live there. These senior living complexes usually have strict quiet hour rules that they do not want to risk having children break. Community Aspects Looking at the senior living community, all their facilities and amenities are entirely targeted towards older residents; they do not consider the needs of those younger than 55. As such, these age-restricted communities do not want to sacrifice their services to accommodate the needs of families with smaller children. That would also defeat the purpose of having a retirement community built for seniors. Questions to Ask As you search for a senior living retirement community to call your home, the search can seem more difficult if you have younger children (or even grandchildren) who will need to come with you. One of the most excellent sources of information on a potential retirement complex will be the club representative. The club representative is the primary guide for the community and will have a plethora of knowledge on the guidelines and exceptions within a community you are interested in. If you are curious whether a child can live in a particular 55+ community, they are the person to direct all your questions towards. As you have your meeting with them, do not be afraid to ask the following questions. Is this an age-restricted community or an age-accommodating community? This is an important question to ask as you want to make sure the retirement community does not have any age restrictions on their residents when it comes to children. Does this complex follow the 80/20 rule? If the retirement community does follow the 80/20 rule, then you know your child can live with you at the 55+ community, depending on your family size and age ratio. If they do not follow the 80/20 rule, then you know that it is time to look elsewhere for a retirement community. Are children under the age of 18 allowed to live here? There is a high chance that the retirement community you are looking at does follow the 80/20 rule but does not allow anyone under the age of 18 to live there. This is not a problem if you have someone living with you who is over the age of 18. What are the visiting limitations for children under 18? If all else fails; your child can always come to visit you in your retirement community. Before making a visiting day, though, be sure to ask for the limitations and rules for guests. Some age-restricted retirement communities have a total amount of days that children under the age of 19 can visit within one year. In Conclusion When you are faced with the question of if a child can live in a 55+ community, remember that, overall, the answer is probably going to be no. However, each community is different and will have its own standards for its residents.

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