Segregated Townhouses vs. Integrated Townhouses

Examples

Case Studies

Bolingbrook, IL

In June 2003, Bolingbrook IL passed a Visitability ordinance requiring basic access in all new homes. Several years prior to the law, the City had been strongly urging Visitability and many builders had complied. As of June 2007, more than 3,600 Visitable homes had been constructed. Nearly all have basements — as opposed to slab construction — and only a handful required exemption from the zero-step entrance. City officials state that there have been no problems with moisture at the entries, even though many of the homes have weathered four snowy winters.

San Antonio, TX

7,000+ homes have been built under the San Antonio Ordinance as of August 2006

Habitat for Humanity – Atlanta, GA

Several of 45 homes are shown from a 100% Visitable neighborhood built by Habitat for Humanity at Browns Mill Road and Mount Zion in Atlanta, GA. The neighborhood is a good example of affordable access achieved on a variety of terrains: flat lots, steep up-hill and steep down-hill. Variety of design also includes some built on concrete slabs, others on crawl spaces. Since 1990, the Atlanta affiliate of Habitat for Humanity has built virtually all their homes with access — more than 800 as of 2007.