"Due to the overwhelming interest in this decade's WHCoA, and an extraordinary response from potential exhibitors, it makes sense to move the WHCoA to a larger venue," said Scott V. Nystrom, executive director of the WHCoA. "This change will improve the comfort and overall experience for our 1,200 delegates to the conference."

The White House Conference on Aging is a decennial event intended to produce recommendations for the President and Congress to help guide national policies on aging for the next decade and beyond. The 2005 WHCoA will address aging issues of today and tomorrow, including the nation's 78 million baby boomers — the oldest of whom will turn 60 in 2006. Housing is one of the key issues that will be discussed.

 "We are entering a bold, new, and exciting era of America's history — one characterized by an aging population," said Dorcas R. Hardy, chairman of the 2005 WHCoA's Policy Committee. "The 2005 WHCoA will be an excellent opportunity for citizens across the United States to help shape a positive future for all Americans as we enter this new era."

Delegates selected by the Governors, members of Congress, and the National Congress of American Indians will be announced soon, and will be notified in the very near future about the WHCoA registration process. NAHB and the Seniors Housing Council  also will be involved in this year's conference, collaborating with other industry organizations to collect research on boomers to help shape policy.

For more information about the 2005 WHCoA, please visit the WHCoA Web site, www.whcoa.gov.

In other industry news:

• Aging boomers and their children will continue to put pressure on the demand side of the housing industry, and that pressure will keep prices high and ensure against a market-wide bubble, according to a recent article in Mortgage Banking. With rates for homeownership increasing with age and current demographics, the article points out that the influx of boomers will accelerate the demand for housing and home prices for the next 10 to 20 years. Check out the article for more details.
• America’s cities, towns, and neighborhoods are not ready to serve the needs of the nation’s surging older population, warns a recent AARP report. "Beyond 50.05 — Livable Communities: Creating Environments for Successful Aging" takes a fresh look at the adequacy of communities to serve the needs of persons of all ages, especially those 50 and older, and provides AARP’s prescription for improving them. The demand for livable communities — those that provide affordable and appropriate housing, supporting community features and services, and adequate transportation and mobility options — is made clear by a recent Census Bureau forecast predicting that between 2000 and 2030, as the boomer generation ages, the number of people ages 65 and older will more than double in 26 states. Read the press release for an overview of AARP's report.
• The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, testimony, and correspondence to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on June 16 regarding elderly housing and federal housing programs and support services. The testimony discusses:

1. The federal housing assistance programs requiring that support services be made available to elderly residents
2. Other Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs that assist the elderly in obtaining support services
3. Private partnerships and federal health care programs that may provide supportive services to elderly beneficiaries of federal housing assistance

After reviewing 23 housing assistance programs, GAO found that only four (three of which are HUD programs) require owners of seniors housing properties to ensure that services such as meals or transportation be available to residents. Read the full report for more information on GAO's findings.