Our History

In 2006, the World Health Organization launched the Global Age-friendly Cities project in recognition of the converging trends of urbanization and population aging. The initiative asked 35 cities to lead discussions with their older residents to explore the strengths and challenges of aging in cities. The information gathered through this research was used to develop a guide for global age-friendly cities.

Beginning in 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and The New York Academy of Medicine launched Age-friendly New York City by doing a comprehensive assessment of the assets and challenges older New Yorkers face. The assessment included guided conversations with more than 1,500 older adults across the city in six languages, roundtable discussions with hundreds of professionals, a literature review, and extensive mapping. In the fall of 2008, NYAM released the findings of the assessment process in Toward an Age-friendly City: A Findings Report.

As a complement to the community assessment, the Office of the Mayor and the New York City Council asked all city agencies to consider how they could improve the way they integrate and serve older adults through their work. Out of this review, in 2009, the City announced 59 initiatives to improve the quality of life of older adults, which are outlined in Age-friendly NYC: Enhancing Our City's Livability for Older New Yorkers. (See video of the announcement here.)

In order to make improvements in the city, a four-year Commission for an Age-friendly New York City was seated with leaders from both the public and private sector in 2010. In its first year, the Commission focused its attention on Age-friendly Businesses, Age-friendly Schools, Colleges and Universities and Aging Improvement Districts.

While the Commission worked on making improvements in New York, the project also stayed active in the global age-friendly cities movement. In July of 2010, the World Health Organization named New York City the first Age-friendly City under its new certification process. Other cities, nationally and internationally, began looking to New York as a model. Several articles in major national newspapers and magazines spread Age-friendly's message to millions.

Age-friendly New York City continues to expand its programs to reach thousands of the city's businesses, colleges and universities, and neighborhoods. In 2011, the Commission will launch new initiatives including Age-friendly Technology and Age-friendly Professions. The Office of the Mayor and the New York City Council delivered their first progress report on the 59 initiatives.