Accessible Homes, Visitable Homes, Universal Design and Walkable Communities
Many advocates and individuals are requesting visitable communities, accessible homes, universal design and walkable communities. We want to create neighborhoods that are user friendly, especially for persons with disabilities.
Visitable Homes are homes that have the common areas accessible. The bedrooms may be upstairs and not accessible but a person in a wheelchair can visit. People who use wheelchairs can make their own homes accessible but often have difficulty visiting relatives’, friends’, or neighbors’ homes. While modifications of an existing home to make it visitable can be very expensive, builders report that building a visi-able design from the beginning does not cost any more money in planning or construction. However, the benefits are very important to those with mobility limitations, as it allows the individual to sit in another person’s living room and other common areas, as well as access the bathroom. It costs no more to build a visitable home than a home with stairs to get into the front door. Making all homes have entrances step-free and with inclines of no more the one inch to every one foot is an example of universal design.
Accessible Homes have design features that make it much easier for people with mobility limitations and people who use wheelchairs to use all the amenities.
Here are just a few important accessible home design features that cost no more to build than the old building standards:
- 32 to 36-inch doorway openings
- Lever style door handles
- Hallways 36 to 48 inches wide
- Light switches 36 to 42 inches from floor
- Window seals that start no higher than 30 inches from the ground
- Smoke detectors on every floor
- At least one entrance without steps
- Door thresholds that are no more than ¼ of an inch above the floor
Creating accessible homes costs no more than standard homes, if designed at the planning stage. Re-designing, adapting, and making assistive technology can get expensive. According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, agencies administering Federal Housing dollars must make 5 percent of the newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated facilities accessible, and 2 percent hearing or vision-impairment accessible.
Assistive Technology refers to devices for personal use created specifically to enhance the abilities of people with disabilities to live independently. Flashing doorbells, TTY technology, bath/shower chairs, and transfer devices are a few examples.
Walkable Communities are places to live where cars are optional. Walkable communities have a large variety of stores, places for recreation such as parks, safe sidewalks, and access to public transportation. To find out if a community has a good walkable score go to the website listed at the end of this report.
Here are some useful websites to find accessible and walkable communities:
To determine the walkability of a community visit:
www.walkscore.com
The national website to find accessible apartments is:
www.accessibleapartments.org
Also the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has created a housing search engine where landlords may advertise their listings for free. To find accessible homes, click on the “handicap” icon.
www.michiganhousinglocator.com
For further discussion on accessible communities, you may contact the Michigan Developmental Disability Council’s Transportation Workgroup at:
www.michigan.gov/ddcouncil, or call 517.334.6123.