In multifamily, wellness is often associated with fitness centers and green spaces. But for affordable housing developers, the concept takes on a whole new meaning. Wellness in the sector requires nuanced decisions about a complex array of issues that range from architecture planning, amenities and community programming to the selection of interior colors.
These considerations often differ based on a given community’s location and renter demographics, but there’s a recurring theme that wellness inclusions should be less about what looks nice in a property brochure or on a website than what improves quality of life.
Addressing the basics
A helpful starting point in choosing wellness-focused amenities for an affordable property is understanding the widely varied needs of residents.
“Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s shaped by location, renter demographics and community identity,” said Luai Abdallah, managing director & head of property management at Fairstead.
Low-income seniors or formerly unhoused residents will have significantly different needs from working families or veterans earning less than the area median income. Think playgrounds and educational facilities for communities with young or growing children, or easily accessible health care for seniors.
At the same time, some features transcend age or socioeconomic demographics and are easily adaptable to the specific needs of residents. Communal gardens, for example, promote physical activity, mental health and social connection for all renters. “The seniors are staying connected with each other and other folks in the community through either growing herbs themselves or teaching a child how to grow vegetables,” Abdallah observed.
Other things that can be easily adapted to different cohorts include common areas, community rooms and communal kitchens. They can serve as anything from homework space, to areas for doctor consultations or even a location for a jazz festival.
Demonstration kitchens and food pantries are particularly timely. “These are increasingly necessary, as the income of our residents has not kept up with the rate of inflation of food products,” said Kenneth White, executive director & chief planning officer at Operation Pathways, a resident services-focused subsidiary of the NHP Foundation.
Design decisions
Along with versatility of the spaces, an equally important factor in the affordable housing wellness equation is design. While creativity is essential, aesthetic choices should be grounded in practicality.
A top priority for serving a variety of residents is addressing a much-discussed and increasingly challenging trend. “For seniors and some people who suffer from mental health issues, loneliness can be absolutely crushing,” noted Lise Bornstein, a partner at architecture firm KFA. To combat feelings of isolation, KFA’s designs facilitate social interaction between residents at both the unit level and communitywide.
At Hayworth House, an adaptive reuse of a 1950s L.A. community into affordable senior apartments, front porches double as walkways between units. “People are kind of in that safe interstitial zone but can still be a part of things,” Bornstein said.
This idea also applies to communal areas. When designing a 1,200-unit campus in West Los Angeles for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, KFA placed the project’s residential buildings around a “town square,” which includes a civic node; wellness node with barbershop, teaching kitchen and community garden; and social hall. The guiding principle was “taking the amenities for the entire community, giving them identity and clustering them around open spaces so that (they) all work together,” Bornstein said.
For renters who prefer things on the quieter side, there’s also value in designs that incorporate privacy and sometimes solitude. “We’re going to have a large common area on the ground floor, but we’re also aware of what can trigger someone in this situation,” shared Cecilia Paredes, director of housing operations at Forge Craft Architecture & Design. “In this case, we tried to include separate nooks; (they) aren’t necessarily reading areas, but you feel more enclosed and more protected.”
At some of Forge Craft’s projects, the nooks have separate reading areas and children’s rooms, as well as multipurpose spaces for events, such as movie nights. These spaces offer opportunities for residents with varying interests to share activities with their neighbors—or just hang out.
There’s a functional aspect to these privacy-centric features, which double as convenient space for visits from outside professionals. “It’s not just community rooms but it’s also actual service offices that are built into the property,” according to Jonathan Taylor, senior vice president of asset management at Affirmed Housing. Rather than having to go off-site, a resident can meet with a clinician or career adviser in an office adjacent to the lobby.
Focus on fine points
While an open design is easily noticeable, more subtle elements are equally important to fostering wellness. Natural lighting is a top consideration, not only because of its positive impact on quality of life but also the feeling of safety it instills. A simple but effective tactic is to install automated lighting systems in places where sudden darkness can be triggering for some residents. “It can happen even if you are opening the door for the trash room and the light inside is turned off,” Paredes noted.
Similarly, the concept of “trauma-informed design” can guide the choice of interior colors. As an alternative to hotter red and orange hues for walls, shades of blue and green help create a calming atmosphere.
Common areas should also be designed with physical well-being in mind. Planners are advised to invest in a dedicated outdoor air system, which continuously cycles fresh air and controls mold. “It’s an added cost—considerably higher than traditional HVAC systems,” Paredes noted, “but it’s especially helpful for certain residents who are in permanent supportive housing.” And for seniors with mobility problems, wall-mounted rails provide a safe way to encourage exercise.
Practical programming
Besides giving attention to all the details of a community’s physical environment, a comprehensive approach to wellness should incorporate programming and partnerships with local nonprofits, both on- and off-site. These can range from book clubs and knitting circles to academic assistance opportunities for students.
An effective strategy addresses resident health concerns through on-site medical appointments. If a program can’t be offered on the premises, the community’s proximity to services is a key consideration in the development process. Identifying these resources is essential to achieving positive outcomes for health, financial stability or other categories. “We found that there’s just great synergy with having, within walking distance, a senior center that folks in our community can easily get to and enjoy the resources there,” Taylor reported.
Regardless of the program or physical feature, the ultimate goal for stakeholders when it comes to programming is not just to keep their programming insular; the communities themselves should also serve the area’s residents. “We look at it both ways—how residents in our rentable commercial spaces benefit from those spaces while the spaces are also a benefit for the broader communities,” Abdallah said.
Read the December 2025 issue of MHN.
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