A Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) is a structured process used to assess a building’s performance and user experience after residents have had sufficient time to live in and adapt to the space. Conducted in late 2025, one year after The Kelsey Ayer Station opened, this evaluation used surveys, focus groups, and interviews to understand the real-world impact of inclusive design decisions on residents with and without disabilities.
It is rare for a developer to conduct POEs, let alone make them public, but The Kelsey is committed to leading a more disability-forward housing field. This means centering the experiences of those we serve and committing to transparency and continuous improvement. Conducting a POE as a developer helps us learn how our development model and strategies do and don’t serve residents, both to improve existing communities and inform future developments. Open-sourcing our POE results supports others to learn from our projects and demonstrates the importance of leading this work with honesty, as we hope others do too. Acknowledging areas for improvement does not diminish the transformative impact of these disability-forward housing communities on residents’ lives and the fabric of communities.
These POE findings revealed significant strengths, like residents feeling a high level of satisfaction with the unit designs and a strong sense of belonging fostered by the diverse community and the Inclusion Concierge team. The evaluation also identified areas for improvement, like maintenance of laundry facilities, challenges with property management, and sound transmission between floors. We are grateful to the many residents who participated in the process and look forward to future POE efforts.