Cumberland County, specifically the Carlisle area, faces a housing crisis that leaves many residents struggling to find affordable, quality homes. This issue isn’t unique to Carlisle—it’s part of a broader national trend—but local solutions must drive the response. Senior living communities, like Chapel Pointe, play a unique role in alleviating the housing shortage while enhancing the vibrancy of our community.

Understanding Carlisle’s Housing Challenges

Over the past decade, the demand for housing in Carlisle Borough has outpaced supply. Several factors have contributed to this crisis:

• Population Growth: Carlisle’s charm, proximity to major cities, and excellent quality of life have attracted new residents. This population growth, while beneficial, has strained the existing housing stock.

• Aging Infrastructure: Many homes in the area are older and require significant updates, making them less appealing or affordable for first-time buyers.
• Economic Shifts: Rising costs of construction materials and labor have made it challenging to build new affordable homes.

The Carlisle Borough has recognized these challenges and is taking steps to address the issue. Plans are underway to encourage the development of diverse housing types, including affordable housing, to better meet the needs of residents at all income levels. These initiatives aim to ensure that Carlisle remains a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

Why Carlisle is Worth It

Despite the housing crunch, Carlisle remains one of the most desirable places to live in Pennsylvania. The borough boasts a rich history, a thriving downtown with local shops and restaurants, and access to beautiful outdoor spaces. Its strong sense of community, coupled with excellent schools and healthcare facilities, makes it a top choice for families and retirees alike. In fact, in 2024, US News & World Report ranked the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area the #1 place to retire.

How Chapel Pointe Can Be Part of the Solution

As a senior living community dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults, Chapel Pointe is uniquely positioned to help address Carlisle’s housing challenges. The population of people aged 65 and older in the U.S. grew by 9.4% from 2020 to 2023, reaching approximately 59.2 million. Senior living communities provide essential services to this growing demographic.

Chapel Pointe’s master plan includes building up to 44 new high-end independent living apartments on its main campus in the coming years.

Unlike retirement destination states like Florida, most of the people who move to Chapel Pointe are local or returning to their local family roots. By creating additional and desirable housing options for Carlisle’s seniors, Chapel Pointe hopes to alleviate some of the housing challenges faced by both younger generations and middle-market seniors.

• Freeing Up Housing Stock: Approximately 77 percent of older adults own their own homes. When older adults move into independent living, they often sell their single-family homes. Often older, well-kept homes, these properties add more cost-effective options than new construction to the housing market, which are ideal for middle-income home buyers. Those buyers, in turn, sell their own homes, generating housing stock for first-time buyers.
• Serving the Middle Market: Seniors who have too much money to qualify for assistance programs but too little to privately pay for traditional senior living care fall into the middle market. How to serve this growing demographic has been a topic of concern for the senior living field. By adding new apartments, Chapel Pointe also adds a new revenue stream, which will give the nonprofit flexibility to utilize its older, smaller apartments as accommodations for those who:
  • Fall into the middle market sector, or
  • Need benevolent support after serving others as part of the Alliance denomination.

Of course, many other factors such as employment levels, overall economic health, and inflation impact the affordability and availability of housing. We believe that building more apartments at Chapel Pointe will also impact these areas:

• Building Vibrant Community: The expansion of senior living communities supports the borough’s broader goals of fostering a diverse community where people feel safe. By providing a welcoming environment and excellent care for seniors, we contribute to Carlisle’s reputation as a great place to live at any stage of life.
• Thriving Economy: Chapel Pointe is positioned between shopping, educational, commercial, and residential areas. The expansion of housing options at Chapel Pointe will provide increased opportunities to contribute to this thriving economy surrounding us, by inviting neighbors to our spaces for events and for senior residents to patronize local businesses
• Healthy Workforce: Major additions create local jobs during the construction phase and long into the future. To maintain a growing campus, additional people will need to work at Chapel Pointe.
• Welcoming Environment: Between major highways, thriving schools, and an active Army base, the town draws many visitors with impressions to be made, recommendations to be given, and money to spend. Beautifully-designed senior living communities demonstrate that our town values traditionally underrepresented people groups and that we take pride not only in providing for others but for caring for them with excellence.
• Stabilizing Force: For over 80 years, Chapel Pointe has maintained full occupancy and a consistent use of our property, standing as a rare island of stability in an area where commercial properties, by their nature, frequently change hands, shift purposes, and at times sit vacant for months or even years.

The Path Forward

Solving the housing crisis in Carlisle requires a multifaceted approach. Local government initiatives, community engagement, and contributions from organizations like Chapel Pointe all play a role. By working together, we can ensure that Carlisle continues to thrive as a community where everyone has access to a safe and comfortable place to call home.

As Chapel Pointe sets its sights on a new master plan, we invite the community to join us in shaping a brighter future for Carlisle. Together, we can make a lasting difference, one home at a time.