The Honolulu City Council adopted a resolution last week that could make Honolulu a World Health Organization-approved age-friendly city.

The city will join with AARP Hawaii and WHO’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities to develop a plan within 18 months that aims to improve the city environment to meet the needs of older residents.

According to a news release, two committees (a steering committee and citizens advisory committee) will work together in the next five years for Honolulu to meet WHO guidelines in the following areas: awareness of outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, economic well-being and employment.

Michael Formby, director of the Department of Transportation Services and co-chairman of the steering committee, said in a phone interview that many of the city’s policies, such as the Complete Streets law passed by former Mayor Peter Carlisle in 2012, will help to meet these guidelines.

The law requires city planners to consider nonvehicular modes of transportation when planning, designing, constructing, maintaining and operating transportation projects.

Tom Dinell, another steering committee co-chairman, said at a City Council meeting Wednesday that he supports the addition of more trees on streets so they can be cooler for all pedestrians. He also said each city department has appointed an age-friendly city liaison who will examine the department’s efforts to reach that designation.

The steering committee will oversee the city’s efforts on the age-friendly initiative. The citizens advisory committee will be made up of any interested residents who want to help.

Glenna Wong, a volunteer for the steering committee, said Honolulu is becoming one of the nation’s most rapidly aging populations. She attributed the rise to aging baby boomers, an overall decline in the number of births and Hawaii being an attractive place to live after retirement.

"We’re all getting older," Wong said.

Formby said the city is focusing on an "aging in place" concept, which would let the elderly live in the comfort of their own homes in a neighborhood with the right resources to support it.

"You want to create an environment that is accessible and usable," he said.

City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi, also a member of the AFC steering committee, said during the meeting that she supports the city’s plan.

"It’ll be a wonderful thing for Honolulu to become an age-friendly city," Kobayashi said. "We want to be friendly (and) livable, and having this designation would accomplish all of that."