Age Friendly Fairfax Strategic Action Goals

Overarching goal: Enhance the age friendliness of the Town of Fairfax.

Domain #1 Respect & Equity

Promote a culture of respect, equity and inclusion regarding age, physical and mental ability, race, gender, income, geographical location, etc.

Action step 1: Support the Town and the community’s efforts to identify systemic and internalized discrimination, particularly ageism and ableism, and strive to improve quality of life for all residents.
Action step 2: Work to address equity issues locally and county-wide in collaboration with community groups such as Marin CIL (Marin Center for Independent Living), Spahr (LGBTQ Center), MOC (Marin Organizing Committee), MEHC (Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative), etc.
Action step 3: Honor our older adults with an annual event celebrating those 90+ and encourage Town Council to individually recognize older adults.

Domain #2 Community Health and Support Services

Advocate for a supportive community to help older adults stay safe and healthy

Action step 1: Have an active representative on the newly forming Fairfax Community Emergency Preparedness Committee to advocate for older and AFN adults.
Action step 2: Work with community organizations focused on emergency preparedness to assist in identifying and supporting older adults and vulnerable individuals in the event of a disaster, such as local Firewise communities and Neighborhood Response Groups (NRGs); Bennett House and Victory Village; local CERTs; Ross Valley Village, Marin VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Assisting in Disasters), etc.
Action step 3: Promote greater awareness of local and County grant programs developed to create defensible space around homes for fire prevention.
Action step 4: Collaborate with the Town, the Fairfax Climate Action Committee and the community at large to further awareness, understanding and action in addressing climate change and its consequences, particularly for older adults.

Domain #3 Housing & Mobility Options

Advocate for a wide array of housing and mobility options for older adults

Action step 1: Advocate for older adult renters, including those in affordable housing complexes and other mental/health facilities in Fairfax.
Action step 2: Promote creative housing alternatives for older adults such as cohousing, homesharing and downsizing (via junior/accessory dwelling units, smaller homes or apartments, etc.).
Action Step 3: Participate in the updating of the Fairfax housing element.
Action Step 4: Support older homeowners in taking steps toward electrifying their homes and increasing energy efficiency for their health, safety and comfort.
Action Step 5: Promote electrified mobility options for older adults.

Domain #4 Social Connection and Civic Engagement

Encourage older adults to be actively engaged through a wide variety of activities

Action step 1: Continue to offer free classes, educational and artistic events in collaboration with the Fairfax Park & Recreation Commission, the Fairfax Library, Age Friendly Marin Network, Aging Action Initiative (AAI), Marin County Health & Human Services (HHS) and other local and county-wide agencies, encouraging intergenerational programs whenever possible.
Action step 2: Support local and countywide efforts to enhance technological and digital literacy among older adults.
Action step 3: Promote local efforts connecting volunteers able to assist older adults with older community members in need through programs such as the Town’s 1 to 1 Volunteer Match Program, Ross Valley Village, Good Fairy, Ross Valley Seniors, etc.
Action step 4: Conduct a survey and/or focus groups to assess the needs of and to gather input from older adults in Fairfax.

Domain #5 Outdoor Spaces and Buildings

Advocate for safer outdoor spaces and buildings

Action step 1: Prioritize repairing sidewalks and other outdoor areas (crosswalks, etc.) that may need immediate attention.
Action step 2: Support the Town’s Memorial Bench and the Age Friendly Bench programs.