The Office of the Governor of the State of Oregon
05/27/2026 | Press release | Archived content
5/27/2026: AARP Age-Friendly Designation Remarks
AARP Age-Friendly Designation Event Remarks
May 27, 2026
Thank you to the Community for Positive Aging for hosting us to celebrate this milestone - and thank you to AARP for recognizing the efforts Oregon has made - and will make - to ensure our state welcomes people of all ages.
I'm honored that Oregon has officially joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities - a statewide designation that reflects the progress we've made toward creating safe, livable communities for all ages - and how we hope to improve upon this foundation into the future. The First Lady and I are personally committed to this work - from our friends to our families' life experiences, we recognize we are all better off when aging can be supported so everyone can thrive.
This designation announcement comes during Older Americans Month - a time to celebrate the contributions of older Oregonians as a vital part of our economy, our workforce, our families, and our communities every single day. Older Oregonians represent diverse cultures, abilities, and life experiences. They strengthen our state and provide intergenerational connections. We must support their health, independence, economic security, and quality of life - for the betterment of everyone.
The Age-Friendly State designation isn't ceremonial - it's a call to action. It recognizes the progress we've made and also requires us to assess our age-friendliness, identify improvement strategies, and implement them over time. It allows Oregon to leverage best practices as we prepare for our changing demographics.
And those demographics have changed significantly. As of last May, Oregonians age 65 and older outnumber children under 18 - an historic shift that underscores why this work matters.
AARP's research tells us what's important to older adults: aging in place, getting to places independently, and having affordable housing options. These have been focal points for my administration, and we've made measurable progress.
In the most recent session, I championed a new law to accelerate affordable housing development for seniors and residents of manufactured housing communities. Just last week, I announced new programs that will rehouse more than 400 older adults experiencing homelessness, repair and renovate more than 1,000 homes, and produce an estimated 100 to 200 new affordable homes for older adults.
We've also fought against age discrimination. In 2025, I signed House Bill 3187 into law, updating Oregon's workplace age discrimination protections to remove employment barriers and address negative stereotypes about age in the workplace.
Oregon has been a leader in retirement security. Oregon Saves was the first state-facilitated retirement savings program in the nation. Nearly 150,000 Oregonians are participating, with over $400 million saved.
Finally, Oregon was an early leader in shifting away from institutional models of care toward home and community-based services - letting people remain in the homes and communities they know and love. We've made important progress - but we cannot rest on our laurels.
Working together with AGE+ and AARP, the state's longstanding Governor's Commission on Senior Services will launch a community-driven, multi-sector plan on aging. The goal is to build a coordinated blueprint for the future - for housing, healthcare, economic development, and community connection.
And I want to encourage older Oregonians to get involved. Share your experiences and insights. This plan will be stronger because of you.
The Age-Friendly State designation reflects our values and our progress. It says Oregon is committed to ensuring all Oregonians - regardless of age - can be successful in their communities. Let's keep building an Oregon that works for people across their entire lifespan. Thank you.
The Office of the Governor of the State of Oregon published this content on May 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 12, 2026 at 23:35 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]