Affordable housing must be designed with accessibility in mind
After decades of more or less ignoring this pressing social need, the federal government is poised to enact a new strategy on housing – and it will line up with a new law in Ontario, announced this week, that will allow municipalities to demand affordable housing from developers. This represents an opportunity to transform the […]
A Lesson in Universal Design: How to Make Stairs Safer for All
One of the most dangerous stairs people encounter each day are the ones leading into the house from the garage. Often these are cheap, prebuilt MDF stairs that are narrow, steep, and a hazard to everyone: toddler, teenager, adult, and senior alike.
The Next Frontier for Compact Walkability? It’s gotta be the burbs
This weekend in Miami, the Congress for the New Urbanism is staging one of the periodic Councils it uses to focus perspectives and best practices on topics of growing concern to CNU members and fellow travelers. This oneis all about building “a Better Burb.”
Designing a modern home with accessibility in mind
The oldest baby boomers turn 70 this year. And while that may be the new 55 for some, many will face tough decisions in the coming decade. Toughest of all will concern housing. A fiercely independent, rebellious generation will not go quietly to Whispering Pines Home for the Aged. No, just as rules were broken […]
Deaf-blind housing project will be 1st of its kind in Manitoba
Winnipeg will soon be one of the first cities in Canada to have specialized housing designed for people who are both deaf and blind. Bonnie Heath, executive director of the Resource Centre for Manitobans who are Deaf-Blind, has put down payments on 10 suites in the residential portion of the new Gas Station Arts Centre, which […]
Once A Pipe Dream, Disability Community Nearing Completion
LAKELAND, Fla. – Merely a pipe dream for the past 18 years, The Villages at Noah’s Landing is nearing completion. Quaint, colorful and secluded on 56 acres of semi-wooded prime real estate on Lake Crago in north Lakeland, the residential community for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities is unique for Polk County and a rarity […]
Universal Design Allows Aging in Place
The first barrier to accessing any home is the entrance. When searching for a home, we often ask ourselves if it’s a place where we can grow old, but we don’t often ask whether it’s the home that will allow us to age in place. Universal design helps make homes function for people with varying levels […]
Incorporating Subtle Universal Design Into Your Home
If you are building a home from scratch or thinking about a major remodel, you might want to consider incorporating universal design into your home. Universal design is the concept of creating an environment that is usable by as many people as possible (including able-bodied people) without the need for adaptation. More importantly, universal design […]
Student-designers make spaces, products more accessible
From a wheelchair-friendly home bathroom to computer equipment that’s easier on arthritic hands, student innovators from across California designed products and spaces to better serve individuals of all abilities for the USC Davis School of Gerontology’s Morton Kesten Universal Design Competition.
Building Homes with Accessibility in Mind
In 2015, the U.S. celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, more than 56 million Americans have some sort of disability. That’s more than 18% of the population, which makes those with disabilities the largest minority group in our country. Today, this home builder […]