The more residences that are “visitable” by people with disabilities, the more accessible the housing market will become.
By Terry Moakley
The term “visitability,” when applied to new construction, means the incorporation of accessibility features that enable an individual with a disability to visit another person in this type of dwelling. A close examination of a proposed bill in the U.S. House of Representatives establishing minimum visitability standards suggests that its enactment would accomplish much more.
The primary sponsor of the measure is Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Chicago, one of the few communities in the country to boast of a local visitable housing ordinance. The short title of the Congresswoman’s proposal is “The Inclusive Home Design Act,” a name that connotes a broader impact. If passed, this bill will cover all new construction of single-family houses and town houses that receive federal financial assistance. This category includes all newly-constructed, federally- assisted detached single-family houses; all townhouses (or multilevel dwelling units) whether detached or attached to other units; and a ground-floor unit in a building of three or fewer dwelling units. Currently, there is no requirement that all new federally financed single-family houses must be accessible, and millions of federal dollars each year are provided to localities for such construction.
In addition, the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act covers new housing structures that contain four or more dwelling units, and the Accessibility Guidelines, which implement this law, specifically exempt townhouse construction. Rep. Schakowsky’s bill would at least insure that when federal tax dollars are used in new construction of housing, taxpayers with disabilities would be on the same playing field as other Americans when such monies are applied to townhouse and three-family dwelling unit buildings.
A very important distinction in this proposal is that just one level of the above types of residences must contain accessibility features, which include an accessible entrance, 32-inch wide clear doorways, accessible switches and controls, an interior room with an area of at least 70 square feet, and one small, yet accessible, bathroom. Clearly, the minimum 70 square foot room could become a bedroom for an individual with a disability.
Visitability and Beyond
United Spinal Association believes this bill will accomplish more than the construction of visitable housing: for many persons with disabilities, its passage holds the promise of accessible home ownership for the first time ever.
Again, this outcome seems even more likely because this bill will only apply to new single-family houses, three-family structures, and townhouses built with federal financial assistance—generally the most affordable type of housing in most U.S. cities and towns. In many communities with a high cost of living, the affordability of available housing is as important as its accessibility for people with disabilities.
Affordability, plus basic accessibility features, equals a house turned into a home for an individual with a disability, and this possibility makes adoption of The Inclusive Home Design Act an effort worth fighting for.
Terry Moakley, associate executive director of Public Affairs.
