History and Impact
Roeland Park staff holding Communities for All Ages Award

History

Formed in 2012 in partnership with the First Suburbs Coalition, Communities for All Ages (CFAA) provides the Kansas City region’s local governments with a platform to proactively respond to the opportunities and challenges of an aging population through policy, service delivery, and built environment. The program’s distinct, systems-level approach for local governments improves service delivery for older adults at all levels of decision-making.

For the past decade, Communities for All Ages has provided: 

  • Annual age-friendly training courses and conferences to increase professional development.
  • Tools, publications and technical support to local governments working through the Recognition Program and other age-friendly initiatives.
  • Peer city meetings for sharing updates and building camaraderie across local governments.
  • Connection to national-level age-friendly and other aging initiatives.

Impact

Since it’s founding, Communities for All Ages has recognized 27 cities in the region for their age-friendly efforts through the Recognition Program:

  • Gold level: Mission, Roeland Park, Westwood, (Kansas); Excelsior Springs, Gladstone, Grandview, Grain Valley, Independence, Kearney, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, North Kansas City, Raymore, Parkville (Missouri).
  • Silver level: Bonner Springs (Kansas); Peculiar (Missouri)
  • Bronze level: Johnson County, Kansas City, Merriam, Olathe (Kansas), Blue Springs, Harrisonville, Raytown (Missouri)

Strategies implemented by CFAA cities

  • Adoption of a Communities for All Ages plan, or incorporation of Communities for All Ages values, themes and strategies into major city plans.
Grandview, Missouri 2030 Comprehensive Plan Raymore, Missouri Communities for All Ages Plan Westwood, Kansas Communications Plan
  • Inclusion of Universal Design and other accessible design elements to housing, parks and transportation projects.
Raymore, Missouri Universal Design House (Video) Roeland Park, Kansas, The Rocks Development Roeland Park, Kansas, R Park Master Plan Mid-America Regional Council Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan
  • Ordinances adopted providing tax incentives for builders utilizing elements of Universal Design (UD).
Raymore, Missouri, UD ordinance Roeland Park, Kansas, UD ordinanc
  • Amended development code to permit Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
ADU ordinances from the MARC region
  • Additional funding earmarked for home repair and home modification programs.
North Kansas City, Missouri, Minor Home Repair Modification Program
  • Additional support for public transportation programs including a minibus service and bus stop improvements.
Liberty Access Bus
  • Strengthened volunteer and communication programming for older adults.
  • Intergenerational elements applied to parks and playgrounds.
Hobby Hill Park, Gladstone, Missouri
  • Establishment of a standing multi-disciplinary task force on aging.
Excelsior Springs, Missouri Aging Well Task Force

Communities for All Ages city webpages

Blue Springs, Missouri Excelsior Springs, Missouri Grandview, Missouri Gladstone, Missouri Harrisonville, Missouri Independence, Missouri Lee’s Summit, Missouri Liberty, Missouri Merriam, Kansas Mission, Kansas North Kansas City, Missouri Olathe, Kansas Parkville, Missouri Roeland Park, Kansas Westwood, Kansas