Article by Margaret Calkins, Roger Myers and Brian Carnaghi highlights the Detroit campus as a model for affordable housing and care

Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM) is proud to share that Thome Rivertown Neighborhood in Detroit is featured in the Fall 2026 issue of Generations, the journal of the American Society on Aging (ASA). The article, “Thome Rivertown Neighborhood: Affordable Housing and Support System that Works,” was written by Margaret Calkins, PhD, Board Chair and Senior Researcher at the IDEAS Institute; Roger L. Myers, President and CEO of PVM; and Brian W. Carnaghi, retired Senior Vice President of PVM.

Opened in 2013 near the Detroit River, Thome Rivertown brings affordable housing, assisted living, Green House homes and an on-site PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) center together on one campus. The neighborhood includes 80 affordable assisted living apartments, 50 HUD Section 202 apartments for older adults, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Green Houses and a 28,000-square-foot PACE center. Rent for nearly all residents is capped at 30 percent of income, helping older adults with limited incomes live well and age in community.

Thome Rivertown was made possible through a partnership among Presbyterian Villages of Michigan, Brio Living Services and Henry Ford Health, along with many dedicated funders and community partners, including the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Housing Commission, the Detroit Area Agency on Aging, Wayne County and the City of Detroit.

“Thome Rivertown shows what is possible when housing and care work hand in hand. By bringing affordable homes, supportive services and health care together in one neighborhood, we are helping older adults with limited incomes remain independent, connected and well cared for in their own community. We are grateful to the partners, funders and residents who have made Thome Rivertown a model for our field,” said Roger L. Myers, President and CEO of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan.

The authors also discuss research showing that PACE is associated with lower costs and better outcomes, including fewer hospitalizations and nursing home admissions, and share lessons for organizations seeking to bring the model to other communities.

Read the full article: Thome Rivertown Neighborhood: Affordable Housing and Support System that Works