Young Homeowners Say "Yes" to Universal Design

Universal design allows for greater accessibility and usability of the home for all ages. The appeal of "aging in place" is driving the popularity of universal design among new homeowners. Nationwide, builders, architects, and designers are noticing the popularity of incorporating universal design concepts into the home. Following is an article as it appeared in The Wall Street Journal on February 14, 2003.

"Young Homeowners Design Their Homes to Grow Old In"
By June Fletcher
Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

When Mike Betts designed his new Indiana home, he had all kinds of elderly friendly touches put in, like extra-wide doorways and sidewalks that slope gently up to the front door. So how old is the Fort Wayne businessman? Thirty-seven. "I could live here forever," he says.

These days, the new old-age home may turn out to be your house. After years of ignoring them, a growing number of fairly spry homeowners are planning for the future by springing for home products for the aging. Sales of things like motorized kitchen sinks and grab bars have as much as doubled in the past two years, say some makers, with a lot of unexpected buyers. Mr. Betts's builder, Tim Stauffer, who specializes in accessible houses, says business is up, with 80% of his clients under 50. People "used to ask why they should go for an elderly friendly design," he says. "Now they ask, 'Why shouldn't I?' "

Indeed, though Bob and Tina Kraft are both in their 30s, the 10,000-square-foot home they're building in Florida has no saddles in the doorways (the better to get a wheelchair through), extra-wide doors and even two stacked closets in the hallway that can accommodate an elevator when the time comes. "We're not going to do anything obvious until we need to," says Mr. Kraft. The touches are partly to accommodate his wife's elderly mother, but, he says, "I'm building this house for life."

'Secret Accessibility'

Not everyone's a fan, of course. Making a home senior-friendly can be pricey -- adding in things like motorized sinks and adjustable kitchen cabinetry can run as high as $7,500, while an elevator costs as much as $30,000. Besides, says Connecticut-based designer Mary Jo Peterson, some of the products, like grab bars, are just ugly (in part because their size and shape are mandated by law). One solution: "secret accessibility" -- doing things like putting thick plywood behind hallway and bathroom walls, so that grab bars can be added later at little cost, or grading lots gently so ramps can easily be put in. "We try not to spoil the romance and beauty of a home," says Colorado builder Tom Hall, who builds about 15 homes a year, all with elderly friendly features.

So-called universal design has been around since the early 1990s, when the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act required public spaces to be handicapped accessible. But the products were slow to catch on with homeowners and builders, in part because much of the stuff was cold and institutional-looking. Now makers are paying more attention to design and, even more important, America's 76 million baby boomers are coming up on retirement, making the idea of "aging in place" a popular one. "People are starting to plan ahead," says Don Bowden, a Birmingham, Ala., interior designer and architect.

Federal Spotlight on Visitability: H.R. 5683

In October 2002, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky of Illinois introduced H.R. 5683, also known as the "Inclusive Home Design Act of 2002" to Congress. The bill is a first attempt at national legislation concerning Visitability. Visitability stresses universal design features that facilitate access to and use of the home for all ages.

For further information and details regarding this bill, click here.

Proposed Elimination of the California Department of Aging

In response to the state budget crisis, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) has proposed the elimination of the California Department of Aging in favor of combining it with the Department of Social Services (DSS).

The LAO predicts that eliminating the CDA could save approximately $3.4 million in expenditures with the consequential elimination of 37 positions. The LAO notes the benefit of a reduction in service duplication by transferring CDA responsibilities to DSS. In addition, the proposed consolidation of the CDA and DSS is expected to improve service linkages and result in a more cohesive, user-friendly system for consumers. The LAO adds that the move to house Older Americans Act programs with other agencies would not be unique to California, as twenty-nine other states currently operate using this format.

One of the primary duties of the LAO is to offer legislative suggestions to the Governor's budget in the form of the "Analysis of the Budget Bill," which is published at the end of February.

For details, please see the LAO's Analysis of the 2003-04 Budget Bill by clicking here.

City of Irvine Wins National Disability's 2002 Accessible America Award

The City of Irvine was awarded the 2002 Accessible America Award, sponsored by the National Organization on Disability (NOD). This national award heralds Irvine as a model city for its focus on disability issues and its successful design of programs, services and facilities that are accessible for all citizens and visitors who have disabilities.

Designed to recognize community-wide efforts to be accessability friendly, the contest showcased cities where citizens with disabilities have full or equal opportunities to participate in the life of the community, including access to jobs, education, religious worship, voting, transportation, housing, and the entire range of social, recreational, cultural and sports activities.

Irvine's welcoming attitude impressed the judges, eight leading national disability advocates and experts. As one of the nation's largest planned urban communities, Irvine uses its master plan to promote full access to schools, parks, religious institutions, recreational facilities and events for all residents, workers and visitors. Some examples of City programs and services that advocate accessibility include: The City's Community Partners Emergency Response Team, which invites disability community involvement in brainstorming concerns and in preparing for emergencies. The Irvine Residents with Disabilities Advisory Board, chartered in 1990, who responds to disability issues related to transportation, community awareness, employment, housing, accessibility and social/recreational facilities. Irvine's Access Reporting Policy, which forwards citizen complaints regarding community accessibility to the appropriate City department for swift investigation and resolution, culminating in a plan of action within two weeks. This is a particular series of programs that are near and dear to my heart, said Mayor Larry Agran. Our city has worked very hard to ensure a quality environment for all our residents, including those with disabilities. This dedication is what makes Irvine the strong community it is today, and what it will be for generations to come.

City officials will receive a cash award of $25,000 to support and fund local disability-related endeavors. This award acknowledges the City of Irvine's community-wide progress on disability issues and promotes other cities to replicate these efforts.

For more information on Disability Services, call (949) 724-6633.