PORTLAND, Maine – Maine’s population is the third oldest in the nation, and Maine’s population is aging faster than that of any other state, according to the State Planning Office. These changing demographics will have a profound effect on many aspects of life in Maine, including real estate development.
The Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) takes on this issue at its annual spring conference, this year entitled The Greying of Maine: Real Estate Needs for an Aging Population. The conference will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Abromson Community Education Center at University of Southern Maine in Portland.
The conference will address such questions as:
- Are older people moving here from outside the state, and do they have ties to Maine?
- Are older Mainers staying in their hometowns or re-locating to other parts of the state?
- What do people over 55 want in terms of services, housing, location, amenities, etc.?
- Where is the future growth in this sector?
- What does it take to be successful in meeting the needs of this population?
“This is a very important and timely topic for everyone in Maine, including those of us in the commercial real estate sector,” said MEREDA President Roxane Cole. “We can’t stop the aging of Maine’s population, but we can help our members prepare for changes that are already starting to occur.”
Conference speakers include Cole; Frank O’Hara of Planning Decisions, speaking on population shifts; John Wasileski of The Highlands, housing creation; Bill Gillis of Continuum, LLC, nursing homes; Dana Totman of Avesta Housing, low-income elderly housing; and Dr. David Howes of Martin’s Point Health Care, increased demands on healthcare. The program will conclude with a panel discussion featuring each of the presenters followed by a question and answer session with the audience.
To register for the conference, visit the event detail page by clicking here, or call 207-874-0801. The registration fee is $75.00 for MEREDA members and $100 for non-members.
Founded in 1985, MEREDA is an organization of commercial real estate owners, developers and related service providers, whose mission is to promote an environment for responsible development and ownership of real estate throughout the State of Maine.
