[CliffFletcher]

Densification of suburbs can free up single-family homes. Calgary’s mature suburbs are full of empty-nest seniors living in 2,000+ sq ft houses with four bedrooms. They don’t need homes that big.

But they also tend to be attached to their neighbourhoods, and typically don’t want to move across the city to a 14-story apartment building in an unfamiliar neighbourhood. If we can build more townhouses, walkups, and modest 2-story apartment buildings in established neighbourhoods, local seniors can move in and free up those detached homes. The trick is to do it in a way that doesn’t hurt the quality of life of the empty-nesters still living in those homes.