CITIES WILL NO LONGER ALLOW INACCESSIBLE SIDEWALKS TO FESTER FOR MONTHS

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL NO LONGER BE ENDANGERED

BY IMPASSIBLE URBAN SIDEWALKS AND SPACES

Sadly, this is a cruel April Fool’s joke.

Cities wealthy and poor place wheelchair-accessible mobility at the bottom of their priorities list.

The only solution to get past these problems is to go out into the street and risk death or serious injury.

These are not temporary construction sites – about to be fixed in a reasonable 24-to 48-hour period.

The irony is, if these were fixed, the economy would be boosted – because every pedestrian could get around more safely and efficiently.

Spending would go up, labor hours wouldn’t be wasted and more people with disabilities could access better jobs without having to own an expensive adapted vehicle.

But it’s going to take a lot of lawsuits, lobbying and education to put an end to this discriminatory, foolish practice.

THE SILVER TSUNAMI

OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“I think there are inherent problems with aging in your own home.

A lot of housing stock is not appropriate for aging in place. 

A lot of houses are split levels or only have an upstairs bath,” SHAG’s Woolford said.

“It gets harder to live there and to get out and do things. 

That leads to social isolation.

I believe in the ability to age in the same community, but with housing options that are more accessible and affordable.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

With the rapid graying of America, Wolford said public policy must shift to supporting more intergenerational communities,

more buildings like SHAG’s that have ground-level retail, restaurants and wellness centers open to the general public.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

SHAG sets aside 20 percent of the units in each of its complexes for people with disabilities, who are eligible at age 55 — younger than the typical senior.

He said even more accessible/affordable housing is needed.

“We’ve done a very good job of creating affordable housing, but what we haven’t figured out is how to keep it affordable,” SHAG’s Woolford said.

“People increasingly don’t have pensions and social security cost-of-living increases are not going up enough to match the cost of housing. 

Someone might enter one of our communities in sound financial shape, but 10 years later they are severely rent burdened. 

We have to fill up the donut hole for people who make too much to get Medicaid or other support, but too little to afford to private pay for care and housing.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“There needs to be bonus density for senior housing, programs are needed to create more affordability,” SHAG’s Woolford said. 

If the land is cheap, you’re in an urban desert.

If the land is amenity rich, with proximity to daily needs — it is expensive.”

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

EDWARD H. STEINFELD, ARCH. D., AIA, R.A. -- UNIVERSAL DESIGN TRAILBLAZER FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY -- at UMSoA

Edward H. Steinfeld is Founder of the Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access at University of Buffalo

Steinfeld has been a trailblazer in the field of inclusive design since the 1970’s when he led a transformational research project that established accessibility standards.

In his 50-year career, he has done award-winning research, taught thousands of students, designed many buildings, served as an expert consultant, and mentored numerous colleagues.

When he founded the IDeA Center in 1984, he believed that inclusive design was a critical component of a socially sustainable community. 

We teach Universal Design to graduate and upper level undergraduate students at the University of Miami School of Architecture – a top 50 program out of more than 500 schools of architecture.

Steinfeld's hour-long presentation, via Zoom, captivated our graduate and undergraduate students.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Jay Woolford, executive director of Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG) in greater Seattle, is concerned about the lack of affordable and accessible housing. 

SHAG builds affordable senior housing units, but even in the highest income counties in the state, many people have difficulty affording rent.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

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Novack’s message is that accessibility and flexibility add value, which busts the myth that universal design is ugly and kills resale value.

“People like big bathrooms, they like something they can grab in the shower even if they are not a fall risk. 

Those are accessibility features,” she said. 

“People pay for the convenience of a bathroom on first floor or an extra room that can be an office and eventually a bedroom on the first floor — that’s universal design.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“I have an old book from the 1980s on retrofitting San Francisco homes for accessibility.

There is a picture of accessible doorways and the caption is very negative, saying it is unattractive and people don’t like it,” Novack said.

“It’s a barn door style. These are all the rage for bedrooms, bathrooms kitchens — they are in designer homes now.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Valerie Novack, a fellow with the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress and a Ph.D. candidate in Land Use and Planning at Utah State University,

supports retrofitting but pushes for more universal design in new construction. She is frustrated with the stigma attached to accessibility.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“Ann Forsyth says ‘the suburbs are not a terrible place to live if you can drive. If you can’t, that’s a problem,’” 

said Molinksy, quoting the professor of Urban Planning at Harvard University and her co-author of What Is Aging in Place? Confusions and Contradictions.

“I’m a big proponent of housing options — ADUS, triplexes, small apartments — there is a lot of potential to build up the suburbs into walkable neighborhoods.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Even though accessibility is key to living independently, Molinksy said even minimal access — wide doorways and hallways, a bedroom and bath on the ground floor — exists in barely 3.5 percent of housing. 

She said this must change. 

She said it is why several advocacy groups are lobbying for federal, state and local tax credits to support retrofits for aging in place and expanding access for people with disabilities.

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

ROSEMARIE ROSSETTI, PH.D.  LEADING DISABILITY INCLUSION EXPERT AND STAR GUEST LECTURER IN UNIVERSAL DESIGN COURSE

Rosemarie Rossetti is the perfect speaker for dozens of contexts, such as educating: architects, interior designers, general contractors, engineers and remodelers.

Her expertise is specific enough to speak to skilled technicians but it also is straightforward enough to entertain and captivate everyday lay persons.

Rossetti is an expert storyteller. She introduces Universal Design, via her dream house, with the perfect blend of details, beauty, practicality, warmth and curb appeal.

We teach Universal Design to graduate and upper level undergraduate students at the University of Miami School of Architecture – a top 50 program out of more than 500 schools of architecture.

Rossetti’s 45-minute presentation, via Zoom, had students at full attention, writing notes, typing information and nodding in approval.

Even though each of them has several design studios under their belt, you could see that those who will create tomorrow’s built environment were learning the full value of design that is universal, flexible and sustainable.

Rossetti deftly answered an array of questions, some very technical and architecture-oriented, with ease.

A lot of people (unfortunately) think the message of a person who uses a wheelchair for mobility will either be sad and drab, or focused on only inspiring without depth behind it. Rossetti busts the myth by simply presenting herself as a diverse person who learned how to expertly design, build and live in a home that accommodates all.

She convinces everyone in the homebuilding industry that there is value in aging in place and that her home is not for some fractionally small market (that means resale value is poor).

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“We think of housing as a platform for wellbeing. 

Housing affordability matters to financial security and capacity to meet other needs besides shelter, such as for food and out-of-pocket medical costs,” Mollinksy said. 

“The accessibility and safety of the home matters to our ability to live independently.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Jennifer Molinsky, a senior research associate at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University said different people have different ideas about aging in place. 

For some, it means they will never move out of their house. 

For others, it means they want to stay in the same community and for others it means moving anywhere, so long as it is not a nursing home.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

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“Sometimes the fixes are fairly easy. 

If there’s an existing shower on the main level, a fixed roll-down seat or portable bath bench can add a lot of safety and accessibility for a low price,” MAHO’s Glas said. 

“Because converting to a roll-in shower can be expensive, we want to make sure we educate people on how to do it the right way. 

You cannot assume your architect or contractor knows how to modify for accessibility. There are so many creative, low-cost options that your contractor probably doesn’t know about.”

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Greater Cleveland, carved by glaciers and very hilly, provides challenges for ramps and creative use of topography to create one level entrance into a home. 

The old city also has a lot of duplexes, with aging owners who live upstairs desiring to make the ground floor unit accessible so they can move into that space while continuing to earn rental income from the upstairs unit.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

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“We always say a 20-dollar grab bar can save a fall that can break a hip that can lead to a long hospitalization, loss of home or even death,”

said Beth Glas, executive vice president of MAHO and director of its Anderson Center for Accessible Living.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio (MAHO) serves greater Cleveland with assisted living units for people with disabilities.

It also has a demonstration unit filled with universal design ideas simple to incorporate and it provides in-home accessibility assessments free to county residents who make within 120 percent of median income.

STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

KAREN BRAITMAYER, FAIA, FOUNDING PRINCIPAL OF STUDIO PACIFICA & STAR GUEST LECTURER IN UNIVERSAL DESIGN COURSE

Karen Braitmayer, FAIA, is Founder of Studio Pacifica, accessibility consulting firm recognized nationally for its focus on universal design.

She has made a unique contribution to the built environment— disability civil rights movement—by pairing professional architectural expertise with personal experience.

A policy advocate for persons with disabilities before the ADA was adopted, Braitmayer was the 2019 Person of the Year by New Mobility Magazine. 

New Mobility is an award-winning publication and the premier source for lifestyle, travel, in-depth news and other articles relevant to people with disabilities.

Spearheading designs to improve access in civic, commercial, education, hospitality, retail, health, multi-family residential projects – Braitmayer has excelled at making accessibility cool since before the ADA even existed. 

We look forward to collaborating him on many inclusive projects.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

“It also lengthens the amount of time in which one can stay in their home rather than going to an assisted living facility without a CAPS home/renovation,” Cunningham said.

“With the modifications that are available during a simple renovation and at a minimal cost, they not only add a monetary value, but add a personal sense of security and well-being.”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Modifications also enhance visitability — accommodating family members and visitors who require level entrances, wider doorways and a ground floor accessible restroom.

“The importance of the CAPS program to aging-in-place is that it allows homeowners to live in their home more confidently and independently, as well as safely with the modifications that a CAPS remodel allows,” Cunningham said.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

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The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) created the Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program to teach residential remodelers home modifications for the aging-in-place.

 
“Some of the simple and easy fixes are things such as: adding safety bars to an existing shower or tub area, changing light switches from toggle to paddle switches, exchanging door knobs with level door handles, adding a removable shower seat to your existing shower/tub area or even installing a comfort height toilet to your bathroom,” 

said Steve Cunningham, CAPS, CGP — 2021 NAHB Remodelers Chair and owner of Williamsburg, Va.,-based Cunningham Contracting.

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

Belmont Senior Living’s Will noted that not only was her inclusive project very successful, but the units with tub-showers for independent residents were torn out and replaced with walk/roll-in showers by popular demand. 

“Inclusion is part of the DNA at Belmont.

 If someone needs a walker for mobility, if they are more secure by having a caregiver standby when they take a shower, how does that diminish them?”

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OLDER AMERICANS ARE DRIVING

THE NEED FOR HOUSING TO AGE IN PLACE

As an advocate for universal design, Will is amazed that some people see an assistive mobility device, or walk/roll-in shower as a negative.

“It was controversial over 20 years ago when we created development in San Diego that had common dining, gym, therapy and other areas for both independent living and assisted living. 

People told me it would never work, because the so-called independent people would not tolerate seeing anything that portrayed frailty in their eyes,” Belmont Senior Living’s Will said.