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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 demographic change task force rpt-DraftOP. T, M -M. of IkeDmoVaphu"e, Cha"�e TA-s-Ol'o force -Draft-, 1,42- Lj-',,, Executive Summary Lexington is experiencing a dramatic change in its racial composition and a substantial modification of its age profile. In 1990, just over 6% of the Town's residents were of Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean or other Asian origin. By 2000, the percentage of Asian residents had risen to 11%; at the end of 2009 it may have reached 20%. The percentage of Asians in Lexington is substantially higher than in any other neighboring community. According to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey, conducted by the Census Bureau, Asians of Chinese origin represented about 10% of Lexington's population; they were followed by Indians and Koreans, each at about 2.5%, and Japanese and Vietnamese at 0.5% each. At present, Asians are significantly under -represented in the Town's Departments, Boards and Committees. The quantitative impact of this demographic change has been most evident in schools and in subsidized housing. The schools, with about 5% of students having limited English proficiency, have responded by expanding English Language Learner programs. With respect to housing, over 50% of the residents of Vinebrook and Greeley Villages (low income, elderly and handicapped housing) are now Asian; twenty years ago there were none. Data on English proficiency from the 2000 Census reveal that about 300 Asian residents did not speak English or spoke it poorly and could present a communication challenge for Town Departments, particularly in emergencies. Although Lexington's population has not grown over the past 30 years, its age profile (distribution by age band) has changed considerably. It now most closely resembles the profiles of suburban communities with highly -rated school systems, and differs from all immediately neighboring communities except Lincoln. Currently, it consists of one peak in the 10-14 year age band; falls to a minimum in the 25-29 year band; rises to its maximum in the 50-54 age band; and then drops off with higher ages. The profile is consistent with the following interpretation: Older parents move into Lexington to place their children in its excellent schools, while young adults move elsewhere. Over the past 10 to 20 years, the initial peak has grown and the maximum of the distribution has shifted out by 10 years. The average age of the population is slowly rising now, but is projected to rise faster at a faster pace over the next 20 years according to projections from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The aging population, coupled with the trend of more seniors living alone, is placing new and additional demands on Town services: In particular, minor problems that may have once been handled by family members can evolve into crises by the time they finally come to the attention of the Police, Fire, Health, and Human Services Departments. Relative to Massachusetts as a whole, Lexington's median home values and median family income both rose from the 1990 Census to the 2005-2007 ACS. In this sense, we are becoming a more exclusive community. Our recommendations stress the need to develop a better understanding of in- and out -migration and of the growth and makeup of the Asian population. Only by taking these steps will the Town be able to respond appropriately. Accordingly, we recommend interviewing members of the community (e.g. teachers) and others (e.g. real estate agents) who have direct and frequent dealings with Asians and older residents who are at the center of these trends. We also recommend analyzing the steps taken by other communities, not only in Massachusetts, that have experience with similar demographic trends. In parallel with these actions, we believe it is essential to identify and implement ways to accelerate and broaden participation of the Lexington's Asian population in Town business, including the shaping the appropriate response to the trends identified in this report. We also recommend that — to the extent permissible by law—Town Departments begin to include age - and language -related data when documenting incidents, particularly emergencies. Finally, we recommend that the Town derive much greater value from its annual census by slight modification of the form and a more detailed analysis of the data. Background and mission of the Task Force (Voting "significant changes in the composition of Lexington's population over the last 15-20 years" and the need for municipal government and schools to take them into account, the Lexington 2020 Vision Committee established the Demographic Change Task Force (DCTF). In announcing its formation in March 2008, the 2020 Vision Committee issued the following statement: "Identifying the nature of demographic change is essential for local government to meet the needs of the community now and in the future. Different ways of thinking and communicating result from changes and increased diversity over time. Understanding and responding appropriately to these changes can promote a sense of community and strengthen the democratic process. The data analysis and recommendations provided by the Task Force will inform long-range community decisions and actions for the Board of Selectmen and other Town officials." Subsequently, Town Manager Carl Valente defined three primary objectives for the Task Force: 1. Identify the most important demographic changes currently taking place in Lexington and identify the changes that are likely to occur by 2020. 2. Explore how these changes will affect town services. 3. Understand how to maintain and create a sense of community despite these demographic changes. The current members of the Task Force are: Marian Cohen (2020 Vision Committee Liaison) Margaret Coppe (Lexington School Committee) Ben Esty (Resident) Bebe Fallick (Resident) Dan Krupka (Resident) Candy McLaughlin (Assistant to the Town Manager; staff to the Task Force) Carl Valente (Lexington Town Manager; staff to the Task Force) Activities Whereas "demographics" can be interpreted to encompass a broad range of topics, the Task Force has addressed the following: age, race, language, income and home values. Although, the 2020 Vision Committee's Scoping Group had suggested that residency (moves into and out of town) and religion be included among the demographic topics, we were unable to obtain data on the former and did not explore the latter. The Task Force pursued two lines of inquiry: (1) collection, analysis and discussion of demographic data and (2) meetings with managers of Town Departments and organizations of interest. The activities in MMOINKIN the first category were predominantly data gathering and analysis, followed by discussion within the Task Force as a whole. The second category consisted of sessions whose objectives were to become familiar with the responsibilities of Town Departments, and to learn how demographic changes were affecting them or might affect them in the future. We thank all who met with us' for their preparation and for the candid discussions. We also thank Arthur Bakis of the US Census Bureau for patiently answering questions regarding data sources and data interpretation; Tim Reardon of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) for discussions of the models used by the MAPC and for providing data; Robyn Dowling -Grant, K-12 Coordinator— English Lerner Education Program for Lexington Schools for data on the English Language Learner (ELL) program; and Aaron Henry, Senior Planner, Town of Lexington, for Appendix A and historical data on the Town's population. A. Demographic data The data in this report are drawn primarily from the US Census Bureau and from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The former performs decennial censuses and, during the intervening years conducts surveys, spanning three years, known as the American Community Surveys. This report includes results from the 2005-2007 American Community Survey (ACS) because it was the most recent one available when the Task Force assembled its data. In December 2009, the US Census Bureau published its 2006-2008 ACS. Because its results, related to the topics of interest to the Task Force, do not differ substantively from the previous ACS, we have continued to use the 2005-2007 ACS in the body of this report. Most recently, Aaron Henry, Senior Planner for the Town of Lexington, drafted a Demographic & Socioeconomic Profile Report for the Town, comparing the results of the 2006-2008 ACS with those of the 2000Census. That report constitutes Appendix A. As the data reported in this section demonstrate, Lexington is experiencing substantial change both in its age profile and in its racial composition. The evolution of its age profile resembles that of Boston - area communities with highly -ranked schools. By contrast, Lexington's Asian population (16.5% according to the 2005-2007 ACS) is significantly higher than any of the communities mentioned above and any neighboring community. In this Section, we present data on the following demographic topics: 1. Age 2. Race 3. Language 4. Housing and income 1 Please see Table 2 for the list. .19 F:,12 Caveats Before discussing the data, it is important to keep in mind the following: 1. It has been nearly ten years since the last US census, which, being based on a count of the entire population, represents the most accurate data. Because the ACS data are based on a sample, not the full population, they can be less accurate. This tradeoff — accuracy of data vs. timeliness — must be recognized in any analysis and interpretation. 2. In addition to historical data, we include one projection for 2020 developed by the MAPC. It is based on a forecast for the total population of a group of "similar" neighboring towns whose results are then allocated to the towns in the group. Because the forecast is not based solely on data for Lexington, its reliability and validity may be limited. 3. There is a need to distinguish what has been an historical trend from what is likely to be a future trend from now through 2020, and to understand the methods and potential biases involved with forecasting methods. In some cases, we have extrapolated current trends to arrive at estimates of future values, re cognizing that such extrapolations need to be considered with caution. 4. There is a need to distinguish temporary trends and permanent trends (e.g. something that is important for first generation citizens, such as English classes, may not necessarily be important for future generations). 1. Age After almost doubling from its 1950 level, Lexington's population reached 33,400 in 1970. It then declined to about 28,500 in 19802 and, as reported by the Census Bureau's decennial Censuses, has been roughly stable at about 30,000 since then. Although the MAPC forecasts3 that it will grow to nearly 32,000 in 2010 and nearly 33,000 in 2020, the projections appear to be high in light of the past 30 years of relative stability and the limited opportunities to add to the Town's housing stock. The overall stability of the past 30 years masks major underlying change. Figure 1 shows age profiles, described by number of Lexington residents in five-year age bands. The figure is based on historical data from the US Census Bureau (1990 and 2000 Censuses and the 2005-2007 ACS) and a projection for 2020 from the MAPC. The most recent age profiles are characterized by one peak for the 10 —14 age band and a second peak, which has been shifting to higher ages, in the 50 — 54 age band. The population dips in the 20— 35 year band, with the dip appearing most pronounced in the 2005-2007 ACS data. Over the past 20 years or so, the number in the 60 — 69 age band has dropped while the number in the 70+ age band has risen. This will change if the MAPC projection proves to be accurate: It forecasts a large 2 We are grateful to Aaron Henry, Senior Planner of the Town of Lexington for providing Town population at ten- year intervals starting in 1860. 3 Timothy Reardon of the MAPC provided historical data for 1990 and 2000 and forecasts through 2030 for communities in the Boston Metropolitan Area. 5 Wl- r-I W 0 =773717UZ7 1- 41 7- L7 M,, F 7T 174 mi - 10171 list Fr g s 1d s L- 7,, Md - - qnTw ' 'a 70 TO� a .aml �. M771�. 5 dF y R'_ :. : ".', yrs rtrr.". ,�, i9,.. _ „p., r ,r - y. �, 771M 7'rl I '0 ,1071, Q., t --!' ,6 ..1,y,a F.1 c -- — - 111110=1 F -77K .1; M,it a 31 L Wi f 1 .x�� 65 '1111 �f 9 a b f 1 .x�� 65 i � I� �: w �I I i � � I I I� � � i I i r� ;I B. Meetings with 'Town departments and organizations Table 2 lists the meetings held by the Task Force. Representatives of Town Departments were guests at many of them. Appendix B summarizes the topics discussed at meetings with guests and the findings from each meeting related to demographic trends. Table 2— List of meetings Date Town Department or Organization Representative(s) June 11, 2008 No guests. Organizational meeting NA July 9, 2008 Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) Holly St. Clair, Data Center Manager, MAPC September 24, 2008 Police Department Fire Department Chris Casey, Police Chief Bill Middlemiss, Fire Chief October 29, 2008 Health Department Human Services Department Gerard Cody, Health Director Charlotte Rodgers, Director December 17, 2008 Town Clerk Cary Library Donna Hooper, Town Clerk Connie Rawson, Director January 7, 2009 Schools Dr. Paul Ash, Superintendent March 4, 2009 Public Works Recreation Bill Hadley, Director Karen Simmons, Director May 20, 2009 Transportation Bill Levison, Co -Chair Transportation Advisory Committee Gail Wagner, Transportation Coordinator June 1, 2009 Planning Board Charles Hornig, Planning Board Chair Maryann McCall -Taylor, Planning Director July 29, 2009 No guests. Working session NA August 26, 2009 Town Clerk; working session Donna Hooper, Town Clerk September 23, 2009 No guests. Working session NA September 28, 2009 (Candy McLaughlin and Dan Krupka only) Housing Authority Patricia Sullivan, Federal Program Coordinator (Meeting held at Housing Authority) October 14, 2009 No guests. Working session NA December 2, 2009 No guests. Working session NA January 6, 2010 No guests. Working session NA 16 r � r The following represent the most significant findings regarding demographic trends, gleaned from the records of the meetings listed in Appendix B. 1. Age-related a. Most of the managers of Departments mentioned that they had noticed an increase in the number of elderly citizens. Their observations are consistent with the demographic trends for this age group. b. More senior citizens appear to be living alone. As a result, simple problems, which in the past might have been identified and handled by their children or spouses, end up being dealt with by the Fire, Police, Health or Human Services Departments. Furthermore, a secondary line of defense is no longer available: Because the Public Works' water meter readers no longer need to enter homes, the opportunity to perform an informal check on living conditions has been eliminated. To fill the gap, the Police Department has created an "At Risk" form, filed on a voluntary basis by family members or caregivers. Although it was originally created to assist in tracking down and dealing with residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, the list of conditions was subsequently expanded to include autism. More recently, it has been further expanded to include any disease or behavior that could endanger an adult or child. The form, shown in Appendix C, includes a photo, a description of the person's medical condition, whether the person is able to speak and a list of emergency numbers. 2. Language- and culture -related a. The growth in the Asian population has created some communication problems with the Town. It appears that many from this population are reluctant to seek help from the Town when it would be in their best interests to do so. Occasionally, during emergencies, members of the Police and Fire Department have difficulty communicating with residents who either don't speak English or who speak it poorly. In recognition of the demographic trends, the Police Department subscribes to AT&T's translation service, available by phone. It has also hired an officer who speaks Mandarin. b. The Cary Library is building modest collections of Mandarin and Bengali books and DVDs. It is also seeking to diversify its staff in response to the growth in Asian members. c. More than 50% of the residents of Greeley and Vinebrook Village (low-income and disabled housing) are Asian. In 1997, there were no Asian residents in these units. 17 Age The trends that shape the age profile up to the age of 60, shown in Figure 1 (page 6), are possibly the following: a. Parents move to Lexington as their children approach, or reach, school age because they are attracted by the highly -ranked school system; they move here when they are able to afford to live in Lexington. This explanation is consistent with the fact that the number of children in the 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 age bands exceed the number of children in the 0-4 age group. b. The parents who are moving in are getting older, thereby helping to shift the peak of the age profile to higher ages. c. Adults in the 20— 35 age band appear to be leaving the Town. They may be finding that they are unable to afford to live Lexington, or they may prefer to live in communities with more to attract them. Because other Boston -area communities with excellent schools and relatively expensive housing (e.g. Carlisle, Dover, Lincoln, Sherborn and Weston) have similar age profiles we have some confidence in the above explanation. We acknowledge, however, that we have but anecdotal evidence to support it. If the attraction of Lexington's schools slightly accelerates in -migration, the increase in school-age children may contribute to offsetting, or partially offsetting, the decline in enrollment anticipated as a result of the falling birth rate. In fact, the most recent projections released by Dr. Paul Ash 16 are based on a mean Birth -to -Kindergarten Progression Factor of 1.65, slightly higher than the factor of 1.59 he used in developing the forecast one year ago. This is equivalent to recognizing a higher rate of in - migration of children approaching Kindergarten age. In addition, Dr. Ash's most recent forecast assumes a slightly higher birth rate (215) than last year (210). The slight increase in the two factors has led Dr. Ash to project a slower decline in enrollment than anticipated in January 2009. In contrast to school enrollment projections, which are keenly studied because of their impact on the Town's budget, forecasts for the senior population receive limited attention. The slight growth in the population exceeding 60 years of age, discussed in connection with Figure 2 (page 7), may be the result of better health of this age group and the ability of elderly citizens to remain in their existing homes or to find other suitable housing in Town. Indeed, one of the explanations given by the MAPC for the growth of the 55+ age group in its projections for 2020 and 2030 is the postulated availability of smaller homes or apartments in Lexington. In the MAPC model, seniors would move from their larger houses thereby making them available for families and increasing the Town's population. Without growth in 16 Dr. Paul B. Ash, Four- and Ten -Year Enrollment Forecasts, January 5, 2010 La the number of smaller homes or apartments, however, it is difficult to see how the senior population would rise. If the MAPC projections, showing a large increase in Lexington's senior population are correct, however, they have several implications. If the aging population combines with a social trend of seniors living alone, it will create greater demands on the Health Department (screens, shot clinics etc), Human Services (home visits, senior center, meals, etc.) and Police and Fire Departments (EMT, ambulance). The seniors may also have an important impact on town finances as more of them will be living on retirement income or fixed income. As a result, the town's ability to pay for incremental services may be limited. Interestingly, it appears that seniors are a declining percentage and number of Lexpress riders in recent years, but may well increase in the coming year. 17 Race While Lexington's age profile may resemble the age profiles of some neighboring communities known for their schools, its race profile is very substantially different, and the difference is accelerating. If current trends continue, Lexington's Asian percentage could reach 25% by 2020. (To put this in perspective, San Francisco's Asian population, reported in the 2005-2007 ACS is 31%). Asians are significantly under -represented not only in Town Departments, e.g. Police and Fire, but also in Town government and on Boards and Committees. Of approximately 800 Board and Committee slots, only 20 appear to be occupied by Asians based on a count of names and identification of many known to members of this Task Force. Despite the fact that this issue appears to have been broadly recognized, little progress seems to have been made in improving it. Although we have treated changes in the age and race profiles as distinct demographic trends, they are in fact linked: The in -migration rate of Asians with school-age children exceeds the in -migration rate of other races with school-age children because the proportion of Asian students continues to grow. Language If the Asian population continues to grow, Town Departments can expect to encounter more problems in communicating with members of this population, particularly during emergencies. Although it is unlikely that the number of Asians with very limited English proficiency currently exceeds 600,18 it is the oldest of these residents who tend to be the least proficient and the most likely to require help from the Departments. Without more data on the frequency of such incidents, however, it will be difficult for the Departments to plan appropriate measures. It is notjust emergencies that need to concern Town Departments. Should the Town websites include sections in Chinese, Korean and Japanese on Town regulations, services, including public health services such as flu shots? Should the school websites include translations of vital pages and important 17 Bill Levison, data presented to the DCTF, May 20, 2009 18 It was 300 in 2000 when the Asian percentage stood at 10.9%, and we estimate that the current percentage is 20%. See discussion on page 9 and Figures 8a — c on page 12. 19 [Y: ,1 announcements? How much should the Cary Library invest in books in Mandarin or Korean? Should the Fire, Police, Health and Human Services Departments actively recruit people who speak Mandarin? By contrast, the challenges for Lexington's schools are readily quantifiable. As the number of students with limited English proficiency has grown, the schools have had to keep pace by adding ELL teachers. Communicating with parents, however, has not been a problem for the schools because, in most cases, at least one parent speaks English.19 Recommendations While Massachusetts law requires that schools provide ELL programs for students with limited English proficiency, no analogous requirements are prescribed for other Town services. This gives Lexington the freedom to shape its response as it deems appropriate. We believe that this requires (a) deeper insight into in- and out -migration and (b) better understanding of the growth, makeup and needs of the Asian population, while recognizing that the two are not independent. Our recommendations, therefore, center on moving beyond high-level statistics to acquiring insight as well as learning from other communities that may have experienced or are experiencing similar trends. We also believe that the Town of Lexington has opportunities to collect additional quantitative demographic data to assist it formulating its response to current trends. Although we draw attention to a likely linkage between the growing Asian population and the changing age profile, we nonetheless recommend that be considered as distinct for now. Growing Asian population Our recommendations on this topic progress from obtaining additional available data information to developing an understanding of the individual and common challenges and needs of the Town's Asian population to learning how other communities successfully handled a comparable demographic change. They are listed roughly in the order in which they might be addressed. 1. Consult the authors of "Asian Americans in Lexington ,20 to learn if they have developed an understanding of what brings Asians to Lexington and how long the trend may last. This is a step that the DCTF can take immediately. 2. Request that Town Departments track emergency situations in which they encounter difficulties in communicating with Town residents who don't speak English or speak it poorly. By recording the language spoken by the person (whenever it is not English) the Town will acquire data on the severity of the issue, and will be able to explore appropriate responses. We make this recommendation mindful of the big difference between running a town with 70% English speakers and 30% Chinese speakers (only two languages), and running a town with 70% English 19 Dr. Paul B. Ash. Discussion with Dan Krupka, July 20, 2009. 20 See Reference 6, page 9. 20 speakers and 15 other languages represented among the remaining 30% of citizens (16 languages). It is much more difficult to staff town services, provide public information, provide library services, and handle emergencies as the number of languages spoken by residents increases, assuming they have limited knowledge of English. 3. Interview people with first-hand experience in working with Asians (e.g., real estate agents, Robyn Dowling -Grant, school principals, teachers) regarding what attracts Asians to Lexington and to shed light on the breakdown of Asians who move to Lexington with the intention of living here indefinitely and those who are temporary residents. 4. Setup a task force to identify and implement effective ways to accelerate and broaden participation of Town's Asian population in its government, boards, associations, and committees. 5. Conduct a series of focus groups with Asian residents to develop an understanding of the individual and common challenges faced by the various ethnic groups in the Asian population; to learn about what has attracted them to Lexington; and to become acquainted with their interests and needs. 6. Assess steps taken by Massachusetts communities that have experienced significant demographic changes in recent years. Determine what worked and what did not, and what could be applied in Lexington. (DCTF/2020 Vision Committee, possibly with the help of MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning and the MAPC) 7. Conduct an analysis of other communities across the country that have experienced significant demographic changes and the ways in which they responded (e.g., analyze Berkeley, California and its response to an increasing Asian population). (DCTF/2020 Vision Committee, possibly with the help of MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning) Changing age profile 1. Conduct a focus group with real estate agents, who are particularly active in Lexington, regarding the major forces driving in- and out -migration of residents in the 60+ age group. In preparation for such a focus group, obtain data on moves from the Town Clerk and the Assessors' database. The MAPC may be interested in assisting with this because it might help in building the models for population projections. 2. Modify the annual Town Census, possibly with the assistance of the MAPC and certainly with the concurrence of the State, as follows: a. Add a request to identify legal residents of Lexington who areaway at college or serving in the Armed Forces. This step would ensure that the Town has the mandatory list of registered voters, while producing annually an age profile constructed in accordance with Census Bureau practice. This would give the Town more solid data for responding 21 to demographic trends. Including ethnicity and race (as defined by the Census Bureau) be most valuable in light of current trends. b. Arrange for the data to be analyzed down to a single -year age band, thereby improving the data needed for planning resources for incoming Kindergarten classes and projecting enrollment in the schools. 3. Reconvene a task force on demographics when the results from the 2010 census are available — probably in mid 2011— and request that it update this report with the most recent data. 22 1111MISN"CAN s MORIVI Town of LeAngton, MA C) x Demographic & A TH APRIL f9TH Socioeconomic IN C"t Profile Report January 2010 23 Organization Representative Topics and issues discussed Takeaways Metropolitan Holly St. Clair, Data ® Information on data sources and how ® MAPC represents a Area Planning Center Manager to access them valuable resource that Council (MAPC) we can draw on in ® Trends and projections for Metro carrying out our work Boston and Lexington Police Chris Casey, Chief ® Growth of elderly population and its ® Police responding to Department impact on auto accidents and on issues with the elderly exploitation by strangers and family by creating "At Risk" members files for use by responding officers 0 Problems with exploitation exacerbated because many of the Police Dept. hired a elderly live in single family homes and Mandarin speaker to no one is aware of problem assist in ® Members of growing Asian population communicating with reluctant to seek help from Town growing Chinese population Police does not track calls by estimated age or ethnicity Both use a service (national call center) for language interpretation to assist with the town's changing ethnicity (also used by Health Dept?) Fire Bill Middlemiss, ® Collaboration with neighboring towns ® None relative to Department Chief for emergency medical services and mission of our Task fi re Force Human Services Charlotte Rodgers, ® Programs run by the Department e Trends, while possibly Department Director ® Trends important, were o Demand for senior citizen's services presented rising, particularly with the growth qualitatively, not of 85+ quantitatively o Increase in demand for mental health services, often with requests for financial assistance o Financial crisis increasing demand for youth and family services Organization Representative Topics and issues discussed Takeaways Health Gerard Cody, ® Key mandates for department: ® Trends for seniors Department Health Director Environmental inspections; community living alone are similar health programs; emergency to those observed by preparedness Chief Casey of the ® Trends Police Department o Senior citizens living alone, some in unsafe or unhealthy housing. Some ® Diversity in the situations further complicated by workforce mental illness encountered in o Diverse workforce, e.g. in Lexington unlikely to restaurants may complicate differ from situations in communications. Interpreter other towns services used occasionally. Schools Dr. Paul Ash, ® Four and 10 -year enrollment forecasts ® About 25% of students Superintendent a Surprise increase in K enrollment in are Asian F2008 ® Vision for collecting population data ® Although forecasting K that could be readily linked to lots, enrollment has proven thereby facilitating projections of to be difficult, there specific school enrollments exist methods that ® Trends could be used to o Expect drop of about 300 in improve the forecasts elementary schools over next 5 yrs o 22% of students non-white, predominantly Asian o 17% from homes where English is not the first language o 3.6% are non-English speakers; English Language Learners up by 25% from 2006 Town Clerk Donna Hooper, ® Annual Town census does not collect ® Residents who are 60 Town Clerk data on race, but, judging from visits to or older do not appear the Town offices, there is an apparent to be moving out of increase in the Chinese and Indian Lexington population ® With the addition of ® According to the Town's census race, the annual Town numbers, the percentage of residents census could become a aged 50 or older rose from about 35% more useful tool for in 1997 to about 42% in 2009; more measuring rapid half of this increase can be attributed demographic trends to the 60+ component ® Possibility of a Home Rule petition to allow non -citizens to vote in the local elections 25 MMA r 111 Organization Representative Topics and issues discussed Takeaways Cary Library Connie Rawson, ® Trends ® Library is observing the Director o Increase in Asian users same trends as other o Small collection of Chinese books Town departments and DVDs; small Bengali collection i Library is responding o Library used as a shelter by people with some collections with various need of services and objective of hiring (mental health, homelessness, diverse staff adequate comfort at home) o Library trying to hire diverse staff Public Works Bill Hadley, ® Elimination of the need to read water Public Works is yet Director meters in homes has eliminated the another department opportunity of the Town's meter that has noticed that readers to report problems, informally keeping tabs particularly in the homes of the elderly on elderly citizens is ® Loss of an employee who spoke becoming more Bengali (?) eliminated the sole difficult employee who was able to Public Works is also communicate with residents from aware of the benefits India of someone who speaks an Asian language Recreation Karen Simmons, The golf course is becoming This is one of the few Director increasingly popular with the Town's instances in which the Asian population Asian population is participating in the Town's activities Transportation Bill Levison, Co- ® Data on yearly Lexpress ridership for ® Although Lexpress Chair Senior and Disabled and other would seem to be very Transportation ridership data convenient for seniors Advisory ® Lexpress ridership dominated by who are unable to Committee students drive, it is used ® Funding is ongoing concern predominantly by Gail Wagner. students Transportation Coordinator 26 11111RA1 *iir Organization Representative Topics and issues discussed Takeaways Planning Board Charles Hornig, ® Challenges faced by the Planning ® Planning Board is not (elected) Planning Board Board, including the inability to make doing anything that Chair zoning changes based on would change the demographics housing mix Mary Ann McCall- ® Avalon Hills required 10 years of Taylor planning and negotiation with Belmont and Waltham ® Little demand for age -restricted housing ® Conversion of schools has produced many housing units, but they have not been judged to be either affordable or livable ® Difficulty in obtaining data from Town Assessor's office • Data from Town census increasingly difficult to obtain owing to privacy laws Housing Patricia Sullivan, ® Percentage of units rented to Asians in a Over 50% of the Authority Federal Program Greeley and Vinebrook (both State- renters in the State - Coordinator supported)have risen from "almost supported units for zero" to over 50% in 2009 low-income seniors ® Most renters are on Transitional and disabled are Asian; Support this percentage has ® Most of the Asians may be related to grown near zero ten Asians living in Lexington, and were years ago initially brought from China to care for their grandchildren ® It is unclear at the time of writing of this report whether the average waiting time for units in Greeley and Vinebrook are becoming longer ® Many senior in Lexington are unaware that they may be eligible to rent in Greeley and Vinebrook despite publicity from Lexington Housing Authority 27 Instructions: Complete form, affix photograph and return to: Lexington Police Department 1575 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, MA 02420-3889 Attn: Family Services Officer I:i.t Name FiAName h71 . ey a.rdtrn auiy NN#' Personal Description Affix Recent Photo Here Date of Birth Race & Sex Racc sea Height Weight Hair Color Eye Color Scars/Marks Gla sses Facial Hair Important Address Information Home Phone #: Work Phone #: School Phone #: Emergency Contacts AT HONE -Name R&6 ­hip Phone Address AT WORK— Name Rclmunship Phone Address ATSCHOOL --Name Relationship Phone Address OTHER — Name Relationship Phone Address SEE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS FORM FOR IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FT., AT RISK INFORMATION Medical Condition: ndd,— C.—mWd W,j„.s Does person drive? YES NO If a vehicle is being used, lease describe below: Plate # Make Model Year Color Does person speak? YES ❑ NO ❑ If not, how does person communicate? Does person wander? YES ❑ NO ❑ If yes, to where? Describe medical alert ID, if worn: Additional information that will help identify the risk or assist an officer find, communicate with, or care for person. If necessary, attach a separate sheet. RELEASE I, give my permission to the Lexington Police Department to retain this information, to be kept confidentially on file for the purpose of identification and assistance relative to people at risk and related investigative activities. Print Name: _ Signature: Date: Status update: 29