The population of Americans retiring will accelerate over thenext two decades, creating unprecedented opportunities forbuilders, developers, operators and investors to produce newseniors housing to fulfill this group’s broad spectrum of needs.“The demand for housing will be across the board,” says CharlesBissell, national practice leader for Dallas-based Integra RealtyService’s seniors housing and healthcare specialty practice. “Thishousing needs to include a mix of senior apartments and independentand assisted living offerings.”

The population of Americans aged 55 and older is growing at arapid pace. According to Census data and National Association ofHome Builder projections, this group will swell from 59.3 millionin 2000, comprising 21% of the population, to 76.6 million in 2010,or 25% of the population. And it will only keep growing from there,as Baby Boomers continue to enter retirement age: By 2014, some85.3 million will fall into this category, representing 26% of thepopulation.

Older Americans most likely to move into some form of seniorliving facility, specifically those aged 65, 75 or 85, are expectedto grow at respective paces of 3%, 2.9% and 2.1% annually betweennow and 2030, according to Integra. The firm projects that thistranslates to a need for at least 94,000 new seniors housing unitsor beds per year between 2010 and 2030, which is roughly 1.9million housing units—a 60% increase in supply...