EQUITY AND INCLUSION -- Part 16

Planning, Zoning and other Land Use Policy Best Practices to Erase Errors of the Past that Perpetuated Bias and Deepened Inequality

Thompson said planners should build support for accessible housing by educating communities and builders that the cost of making a home accessible from the start is only five to 10 percent more expensive than a non-accessible dwelling.

Retrofitting is where high costs come in. 

But wider doorways, roll-in showers and accessible kitchens do not drive up costs significantly if incorporated into design from day one.

“I have had many conversations with municipalities, stakeholders, builders, and developers about Universal Design, visitability, ADA for single-family residential, and whether a component of accessibility should be mandated. 

As a broad statement, when you prescribe something, you take away a piece of its soul,” said Jeffrey DeMure AIA, author of “Livable Design: From Commodity to Community with Affordable, Adaptable, Beautiful Home Design.”