02 10 26 Tolleson Aging in Place Strategy for Updating the General Plan – ASU Program Manager Alison Almand

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Tolleson Aging in Place: 
A Strategy for Updating the General Plan
ASU Project Cities & MUEP Program Collaboration

Project Cities connects 
.community partners. facing
sustainability challenges to 
.faculty. teaching courses at
ASU to provide solutions
developed by .students. through
project-based learning

.Project Cities goals.
Produce .research-backed. 
.solutions. for communities
Prepare the next generation of 
.sustainability leaders.
Provide .project-based. teaching
and .learning experiences.

127.
class
projects 
Program Impact
Fall 2017 – Fall 2025 
 60+.
project
portfolios
 15.
community 
partners
 1,590.
ASU students
served
 62.
ASU faculty 
engaged
 30+.
ASU schools, 
colleges and 
programs 
represented

.Project Cities model.
Community
partners 
University faculty 
and students

ASU Course & Faculty 
Member
PUP 580
Meagan Ehlenz, 
Associate Professor, 
School of Geographical 
Sciences & Urban 
Planning
Matt Gomez, Senior 
Program Coordination, 
SGSUP
Community Partner 
Project Leads:
Chris Hamilton, City 
Engineer
Project Goals:
●
Explore literature and industry best practices for planning 
for healthy aging in place in cities. 
●
Evaluate the City of Tolleson General Plan themes and 
elements to identify opportunity areas for incorporating key 
principles of healthy aging in place. 
●
Facilitate small group reflection and community feedback 
sessions with key Tolleson stakeholder groups to gather 
input on opportunities and strategies for incorporating 
aging in place into municipal planning. 
●
Develop and propose a new chapter to supplement the 
General Plan focused on how to plan for and implement 
healthy aging in place throughout the City of Tolleson. 
.Aging in Place Strategy.

.Research.
●
Synthesized WHO and APA 
sources
●
Used to inform analysis, 
recommendations, and community 
engagement

.Community engagement.
Senior Focus Group
●
Conducted focus group with appx. 30 
residents at Tolleson’s Senior Center
●
Takeaway: Tolleson’s aging residents love 
the Community Center and its services
Third Friday Survey
●
Interviewed appx. 60 attendees at Third 
Friday event
●
Takeaway: Powerful sense of community 
in Tolleson

.Recommendations.
Transportation
Housing
Facilities and Services
Improve walkability
●
Tree Canopy
●
Infrastructure
●
ADA Compliance
Public transit
●
Improve Bus Stops
●
Valley Metro Copper Card
●
Paratransit
●
Information
Affordability
●
Assisted living
●
New construction
●
Housing rights
Aging in place
●
Zoning changes
●
Modification funds
●
Partnerships
Awareness
●
Bulletin board
●
Calendar
Engage all ages
●
Radio
●
Intergenerational classes 
and events
Medical facilities
●
Rideshare
●
New facilities

.Recommendations.
Warehouses
●
Reduce noise and other 
pollutants
●
Isolate industrial uses
Extreme heat
●
Shade and misters
●
Air conditioning
●
Green infrastructure
●
Cooling centers
Retail diversity
●
Downtown hub
●
Small businesses
●
Unused land
Food access
●
Grocery delivery
●
Farmers markets
●
Community gardens
Improve park access
●
Needs assessment
●
Grants for park 
improvements
●
Reduce heat exposure
Environment
Growth Areas
Open Space and Parks

Strategies for Inclusive Community Planning

.Awards and accolades.
2025 Best Student Planning Project
American Planning Association - Arizona Chapter
“recognizes outstanding planning work by students 
that showcases innovation, community 
engagement, and practical solutions to current 
challenges”
2025 Student Planning Project of the Year
The Western Planner
“recognizes exceptional, high-quality projects, 
plans, or studies created by students in the 
planning field”

.Any questions about.
Alison Almand
Program Manager
alison.almand@asu.edu
projectcities.asu.edu