October 2025

Since 2013, Birmingham has extensively studied senior services, noting very compelling statistics on a quickly expanding senior population — even given its own moniker — the silver tsunami. Although there has been a lot of discussion about how to best support seniors, very little progress has been made.

At last, more than twelve years later, this current city commission made finding a new, permanent space for seniors to operate, one of their top three priorities. Seniors became encouraged, even hopeful.

In May of 2023, the YMCA made a very deliberate and strategic decision to sell their building at 400 E. Lincoln, to the City of Birmingham. This new community asset was identified and purchased for senior programming, providing enough room to design a comprehensive gathering space to meet community needs now and into the future. For Birmingham seniors — hope changed to excitement.

Now in 2025, two and a half years into the project, there is indecision about how, or even if, this asset should be transformed. Our seniors are struggling to understand. It’s a troubling mindset that our older residents feel — and fear — the belief that once they age, they become less worthy of community resources.

They see the surrounding communities and how they have provided for seniors. Whether it is municipalities with very limited resources or others with abundant means, seniors have been made an important factor in municipal planning. In 38 other Oakland County communities, there is dedicated space with at least partial funding for senior residents.

Healthy communities recognize that supporting seniors isn't just about helping "them"—it's about creating systems that benefit everyone throughout life's journey, from the very young to our most vulnerable older residents.

It is this very way of thinking were the majority of Birmingham taxpayers support bonds for our parks and recreational facilities, though just a small fraction of residents utilize the two golf courses, numerous playgrounds, tennis courts or even fewer, the skate park and the ice rink.

It is why Birmingham residents continually support public school bonds and millages, even though only 30 percent of Birmingham households have children in our public schools.

Older community members, who may not benefit from many of these amenities, understand that providing opportunities for the health, wellness and engagement for all residents at all ages, is critical to being an inclusive society.

The choice before us is consequential. How will we treat the 400 East Lincoln project? We can either build a Birmingham that works for everyone, or risk creating a divided community.

We are relying on the Birmingham commission to follow the original plan to move senior activities to East Lincoln – the plan that was unanimously approved by this commission in 2023. We can then follow the voters’ wishes when they overwhelmingly approved a three-year senior millage to be used for modest improvements to the building. Next can then, finally, begin to plan for strategic long-term growth.

When we invest in comprehensive programs that serve residents across all ages, we create economic growth, reduce social costs, and build the kind of place where families want to stay and businesses want to locate.

Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next