Building Housing for the ‘Missing Middle’ with Amy Schectman of 2Life

Amy Schectman, CEO of 2Life Communities, explains 2Life’s mission to provide affordable, purpose-filled aging through deeply affordable housing and advocacy, and describes Opus Newton, a continuing care retirement community for the “missing middle” who earn too much for subsidies but can’t afford luxury options. She contrasts NewBridge’s high-income model with mixed-income Brown House and explains 2Life’s “optimal aging” components: lifetime affordability, social connection, and help navigating home and healthcare systems via care navigators and varied programming. Opus Newton keeps monthly fees low through a home-sale-funded upfront fee that eliminated construction debt, resident volunteerism (10 hours/month), shared overhead with adjacent affordable Coleman House and JCC partnerships, and flexible home care through Houseworks. Amy urges earlier moves, replicating the model, expanding supply, and shifting policy messaging from “aging in place” to “aging in community,” citing improved longevity and health outcomes and reduced public costs.

 

Topics

01:04 Meet Amy Schectman

02:00 Three Models Compared

04:42 What Optimal Aging Needs

07:13 Care Navigators Explained

08:19 Resident Led Culture

10:37 Making Opus Affordable

13:41 Shared Campus Partnerships

15:16 Home Care Without Waste

17:17 Why Size Matters

18:21 Demand And Waiting Lists

18:48 Finding Space to Grow

19:28 Community Gives Back

20:03 Scaling the Missing Middle

21:28 Market Model Requirements

22:48 Retirement and Next Steps

23:18 Move Before You Must

25:24 Louise and Bridge Club

28:22 Advice for Boomers

28:46 Policy Supply and Messaging

30:47 Longevity Proof Points

32:40 Efficiency and Cost Savings

33:38 Lessons from the Netherlands

34:40 Long Term Care Insurance

35:20 Closing and New Site