Santa Monica City planners are taking steps toward making all city structures accessible to the disabled. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, all public structures in the city are converted to implement accessibility features to accommodate the disabled population. A new proposed ordinance however, would require that the same level of accessibility consideration be applied to new private residential structures as well. The concept behind this new proposal is called "Visitability," which involves removing physical barriers to allow disabled people greater access in their private homes, and literally promotes the ability for family members and guests to visit the home.

These new changes in building design are effective to both new constructions and to any substantial home remodeling that equals fifty percent of the value of the home. The proposed changes based on the concept of visitability aims to make the structures more accessible by basic alterations to the building design, such as widening doorways and hallways, ground level entrance without stairs, and perhaps even build some bedrooms on the first floor. These implementations do not only benefit people of all ages who have disabilities, they also help reduce unnecessary institutionalization for elderly individual who need minimal assistance in activities of daily living.

There is obviously opposition to the proposed ordinance. Opponents argue that an undue burden would be placed on private homeowners, as they would be responsible for the increased costs of these new procedures. However, proponents of the new procedure base their stand on the fact that all structures should be made more accessible for future benefits, and to aid homeowners as they age and become less mobile, as well as the many generations that follow. The proposed ordinance is set to be ready for review by the city officials as early as fall 2001. If passed, the new ordinance would make Santa Monica the first California community to mandate the ADA standards for private homes.

(Source of article is extracted from Los Angeles Time on July 1st, 2001.)

On July 11, 2001, the California Senate Bill 533 was unanimously passed in the Senate committees to establish the first Home Improvement Loan Program in California for the Elderly and Disabled Americans. If passed successfully in the Assembly, and signed by the governor, this program will enable low- and moderate-income seniors to afford necessary home modifications with this additional financial support.

The Senate Bill was first introduced on February 22, 2001. Since then it has been amended 3 times, with the most recent amendment being on July 11, 2001. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) collaborates with the California Department of Aging (CDA), and the California Association of Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to finance local agencies who channel the financial support to the public. Hence, this Bill encourages local public agencies and non-profit corporations to offer no-interest home improvement loans to eligible individuals, who are low- to moderate-income elderly and disabled people. The funding aims to promote independence and the concept of 'age in place' safely through adequate home modifications.

The specifics of the loan differ from ordinary home loans in that it is tailored for elderly and disabled group with limited financial ability, as the maximum amount of money an individual borrower can apply for is $5,000 without interest. The loan does not have a specific repayment plan, but requires the debt to be paid in a limited time span of three years or be deferred till the home is sold. Moreover, the loan issued to the borrower may only be used towards home improvements on the residential building that he/she occupies. Some information that the Department needs in order to evaluate the prospective borrower are:

1. Background information such as age, disability, income, and the home improvements requested; and
2. The repayment process and schedule.

All eligible applications will be funded until the State Treasury funds deplete.

For more information on the specifics of this Senate Bill 533 please visit the website.

Over one hundred seventy presenters from thirty different countries gathered together on June 1-5, 2001 in Montreal, Canada to participate in the Inclusion By Design World Congress. The conference pooled knowledge and expertise in the area of inclusion and universal design, as well as the most up-to-date technology that help educate consumers, professionals, and advocates in the field of gerontology. Incorporated in the conference is The First International Morton Kesten Summit on Home Modifications. The Summit is held annually to disseminate updated information on policies, design, and progress related to home modification. Extensive exhibits of products and services that promote 'aging in place' are also available in the Summit.

Unlike the annual Morten Kesten Summit that is held as an national conference, the year 2001 differed by having The First International Morton Kesten Summit where an international panel was present to discuss current issues. The title of the panel discussion is Inclusive Housing: International Perspective on Bringing Dreams to Reality; where presenters shared their experiences and knowledge on current achievements, barriers to progress, and strategies to promote better housing environments in respective countries. In addition, the summit hosted several other valuable workshops presented by professionals on subjects of the following:

- Affordable and Universal Housing for Independence presented by Richard Duncan, Director of Training for The Center of Universal Design and Rex Pace, Coordinator of Technical Assistance. The presenters discussed and displayed the progress of a recent project from its design, cost, engineering, and organizational issues of universal design adoption as well as the replicable series of universal design plans. This two-year project collaborated by The Center for Universal Design and Habitat for Humanity in North Carolina has created affordable housing for the area.

- Best Practices in Home Modification Programs presented by Jon Pynoos, Director of National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification. This presentation discussed results from a national survey of 300 home modification programs in the United States. Exemplary programs were featured, including best practices in developing and implementing a home modification program, securing funding, and marketing services to the community.

- Policies and Funding in the United States that Support Home Modification and Universal Design presented by Phoebe Liebig, Associate of National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification and Richard Duncan. This session outlined the federal, state, and local public and private sources and policies that impact the living conditions of older persons. With the present significant number of elders who live in housing that presents barriers to mobility showing inadequate home modification activity in the United States, this session discussed how this system can be improved.

- Online Internet Courses to Train Professionals on Universal Design and Home Modification presented by Maria Henke, Program Manager for National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification. In conjunction with the University of Southern California's Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center, The National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification offers a series of online classes on home modifications and universal design. This presentation discussed how each exciting module offers critical information designed especially for home modification professionals.

The Congress ended after a weekend brimful of extensive workshops and exhilarating interplay of ideas and thoughts, participants and presenters parted in a farewell toast. For the amateur participants, the Congress provided a fruitful and valuable beginning and for all partakers, it is no doubt the most rewarding networking opportunity.

A founding director of one of the most established and prominent organization, Adaptive Environment Center, director of the Global Universal Design Education Network, editor of the Universal Design Online Curriculum Project, the monthly Global Universal Design Educator's Online News, an international consultant on universal design education, and the list goes on. Needless to say, she is a ceaselessly fervent advocate in the field of universal design. As a token of appreciation and to recognize her achievements, Elaine Ostroff is awarded the National Home Modification Action Coalition (NHMAC) Award of Excellence presented in the First International Morton Kesten Summit in June 2001.

To share her expertise in Universal Design, Elaine Ostroff also presented in the plenary session of the World Congress Inclusion by Design. Most appropriately chosen, the topic of her session is Recruiting and Preparing Future Designers for an Inclusive Society. In the session, she discussed the need for designers to meet the environmental needs of a diverse society and the fundamentals of worldwide teaching strategy that affects the attitudes and the compositions of future designers.

Furthermore, in collaboration with Wolf Preiser, Elaine Ostroff also edited the Universal Design Handbook that is launched at the Summit. This valuable book is suggested as a one-stop reference to designing products, facilities, amenities and information in a competitive global environment. Its content is comprehensive, including accessibility and universal design for all people, residential, commercial, office, transportation, and educational facilities, as well as streetscapes, outdoor areas, products, furniture, and automobiles and access to telecommunications, information equipment, and the Internet. Highlights of the award presentation are depicted in photos below.

The long awaited 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics are finally on the horizon being only months away. This year, in addition to these legendary sports events that will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah, The Salt Lake Planning Division is also hosting an exhibition titled The Physical Fitness of Cities: Vision and Ethics in City Building. This diversion from the traditional Olympics will offer innovative perspective on the urban environment with an emphasis on the growing accessibility concern. The exhibition will take place in the historic Salt Lake City and County Building on Washington Square from February 1, 2002 until the end of the Paralympic games on March 30, 2002.

This event will present original projects that demonstrate new standards in design and that are both resourceful and unique from cities throughout the world. There are various categories, which include:

• Architecture, preservation and landscape architecture
• Transportation systems and design for accessibility
• Air, land and water management and reclamation programs
• Housing, preservation and cultural infrastructure projects, and
• Social and environmental justice interventions

Hold in conjunction with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games, the organizers are promoting this cultural program by upholding the competitive atmosphere that is parallel to the Olympic athletic events. The Physical Fitness of Cities will recognize design of excellence by establishing world's city-building achievements awards like those honoring elite sports performance in the Olympics. Sponsored by the American Planning Association, American Institute of Architects, Utah Power, and many others, the organizers of this event are looking for digital submissions on CDs from public agencies, planning and design firms, and related organizations worldwide. The Deadline for submissions is July 31, 2001.

For more information and the "Call for Entries," visit www.fitcities.org or contact Elizabeth Bailey-Durst in the Planning Division at 801-535-7758; fax 801-535-6174; or email elizabeth.durst@ci.slc.ut.us.

The National Housing Trust Fund Act is introduced in the House of Representatives on June 27, 2001 with the original 41 co-sponsors from 21 states. There are currently about 775 local and national groups that have endorsed the Trust Fund campaign and those that are based in Washington D.C. are continuing their effort by visiting with Senate and House staffs to discuss the importance and the need to establish a National Housing Trust Fund. Similar to the existing 110 local and housing trust funds that have built over 200,000 affordable homes, this federal bill would build 1.5 million affordable housing for the elderly, disabled, and low-income populations over the next 10 years.

This new and permanent national housing fund serves to protect the elderly and low-income population by providing affordable housing as a supplement to the meager $65 dollars that elderly, disabled and low-wage Americans will receive from President Bush's tax cut. The benefit of establishing a permanent national housing trust fund is parallel to that of local trust funds. They help the economy by generating thousands of living wage construction jobs, the new homes help stabilize residential areas, and create safer, affordable living environment for the segment of the population that has been out of the housing market.

Supporters of the Trust Fund are encouraging and expecting more groups to endorse the campaign to reach their goal of 1000 groups. Groups that wish to endorse the Trust Fund campaign should visit the website at www.nhtf.org to be part of the movement. The redesigned website also offers updates and progress of the campaign along with sample letters to local Congressperson as well as other Trust Fund materials.

The National Center for Seniors' Housing Research has announced the design competition titled Aging in Place: Urban/Suburban Residential Challenges for the 2001 fall semester. The purpose of this competition is to gather innovative ideas on smart-aging residential designs from a pool of talented minds nationwide. The resulting designs will benefit the aging population, as well as students, housing design professionals and even future generations of homeowners. The competition yielded much success when it was first held in the fall of 2000; the event gathered 63 entries from 20 schools nationwide and the result is available online at www.nahbrc.org. This year is the second design competition that the National Center for Seniors' Housing Research has sponsored, and hopefully the results from the previous year would encourage as many enthusiastic participants if not more for the second Urban/Suburban Residential Challenges.

The winners and their schools will receive cash awards and the opportunity to have their winning designs built into a potential research home. The winning students will also be invited to the 2002 NAHB International Builders' Show in February in Atlanta where they will be able to meet and interact with professional architects, designers, builders, manufacturers, and members of the press. In addition to these prizes, the winners will be introduced to manufacturers to further encourage the launching of new products and technologies onto consumers.

This competition is open to individual students or teams of students in college, specifically those in schools of architecture and building construction, who are enrolled for the fall quarter or semester in 2001. However, students representing fields other than architecture and building construction are welcomed to participate as well. Interested individuals must send registration form to the NAHB Research Center by September 28, 2001. The registration form may be submitted online at www.nahbrc.org/seniors/design.htm or via email to studentdesign@nahbrc.org. One may also send the form by mail to: Aging in Place/ Urban/Suburban Residential Challenges, National Center for Seniors' Housing Research, NAHB Research Center, 440 Prince George's Boulevard, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-8731; or fax the form to 301-430-6180.