1. It’s true that some seniors, with limited income, can be burdened by the costs associated with owning and maintaining a home.

It’s also true that in such cases the City offers property tax relief, and the Province also offers a senior homeowners’ property tax grant. https://twitter.com/graphicmatt/status/1362435546656763904

2. It’s ALSO true that many seniors live in TCH buildings with repair backlogs; or could use more frequent bus service; or rely on our library system as an anchor of connectedness; or depend on any number of services and programs funded through the property tax base.

3. In addition, many seniors who own homes have owned them for some time. If they’ve owned for any number of years, they’re sitting on a pile of windfall gain. Maybe a really big pile.

But that’s not the point….

4. This point is this: as you age, there is tremendous value in aging in place. Familiarity and routine make independent living easier and more likely in later years. The neighbourhood you know. The shops you frequent. The social networks you are part of. People who support you.

5. I didn’t mention ‘the house you live in’ in the previous tweet, because after a point – especially once you no longer need the space - a house can become a burden. Stairs. Leaves and snow. Empty rooms. Utilities. Unexpected maintenance.

6. But we have a city where, if you live in a house, it is hard to age in place unless you stay in exactly the same place. Because we make it easy to make a big house bigger. Or to turn a triplex into a house. But not to create purpose-built n’hood-scale multi-res among houses.

7. The kinds of homes that would allow somebody to downsize, reduce their space and their cost of living, and yet maybe stay on their street, or in their neighbourhood. To age in place.

So, seniors and property taxes? Yes, this is also a Yellowbelt/Missing Middle issue.