>> SLIDE 1 Visitability Train the Trainers Webinar Eleanor Smith Concrete Change April 23, 2013 www.visitability.org This presentation was supported in part with a grant provided by National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) through the RERC on Universal Design and the Built Environment (Grant # H133E990005). The opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the author and do not represent those of NIDRR. Note: See the transcript that accompanies these slides on the visitability.org website. >> SLIDE 2 Greetings and Overview >> SLIDE 3 Part I - Definitions - Four major persuasion points >> SLIDE 4 What is Visitability? Visit-ability (Inclusive Home Design, Basic Home Access, Core Universal Design, or by any other name) is a campaign for meaningful policy requiring a few essential access features in every new home. In the next slides I’ll be expanding on the topic of the “few”, the “every”, and “meaningful policy”. >> SLIDE 5 Visitability involves “a few essential access features”: - One zero-step entrance on an accessible route—at the back, side or front of the home, or through the garage Image: a zero step entrance to a home is provided by a concrete walkway - All main floor interior passage doors with 32 inches clear passage space. Image: A door. - A main floor bathroom with basic maneuvering space. Image: A blue print of a bathroom with maneuvering space in front of the toilet and sink. >> SLIDE 6 Visitability Involves “access features in every new home….” - In new houses intended for all, not just houses specifically designated for older people or PWD…. - In whole neighborhoods, whole towns, eventually whole states… - and whole countries (for example, the United Kingdom, has required basic access in every new home since 1998). Image: Visitable houses from the United Kingdom >> SLIDE 7 Visitability involves “meaningful policy requiring access features….” - These mandates can be laws. - Or, the mandates can be policies that are not laws. - I will say more about laws and policies in the second part of this presentation. >> SLIDE 8 What is Not Visitability? (even though each of these is important) - Access to parking, hotels, tourist sites, etc. - A new home designated for PWD. - A retrofit adding access to an existing home for a PWD. - A single, individual home such as a “Universal Design show home” which has numerous access or UD features, but is not replicated by additional homes with basic access in the development or neighborhood. >> SLIDE 9 Four Persuasion Points - Negative health results of basic home barriers - “The numbers” - The low cost of basic access for new homes - The high financial costs of continuing to build basic barriers in homes) >> SLIDE 10 Image: Nine homes with wooden ramps >> SLIDE 11 Image: A man using a wheelchair sits at the top of an inaccessible entrance. >> SLIDE 12 Public Health Effects of Barriers in Home Design - Falls - Inability to exit - Bladder/kidney health - Caregiver health - Mental/emotional health >> SLIDE 13 How many houses? Of new houses built in 2000, by one measure of disability 25% and by the more likely measure 60% will have a resident with a long-term, severe mobility impairment at some point during the lifetime of the house itself.* - Journal of the American Planning Association, Summer, 2008 It is not possible to predict in which houses disability will occur. >> SLIDE 14 Cost: Basic Access in New Homes is Extremely Affordable Added Cost of the 2 most important features on new houses built on a concrete slab: - Zero step entrance: $100.00 - 5 wider main floor doors @ $2: $ 10.00 Total: $110.00 Added Cost of the 2 most important features on new houses built over a basement: - Zero step entrance: $250.00 - 5 wider main floor doors @ $2: $ 10.00 Total: $260.00 (sources of cost data available on request) Continuing to build as we are is unaffordable: - Costs of Renovations (retrofits) -- Medical costs due to injuries resulting from barriers - Increased Institutionalization >> SLIDE 15 End of Part I - Pausing Midway for Questions >> SLIDE 16 Part II - Success Examples - Policy Types – The Good, as well as The Unadvisable - Finding Allies and Audiences >> SLIDE 17 Broad policies have already been put in place in some locales. Law: Every new house with access. Pima County/Tucson AZ (2002): 21,000+ Visitable houses up as of 2010. Image: An adobe style house with a zero step entrance. Law: Every new house with access. Bolingbrook IL, near Chicago (2002): 4,000+ Visitable houses up as of 2012— nearly all with basements. Image: A suburban style house with a zero step entrance. >> SLIDE 18 Houses on Steep Terrain Image: A house on Steep Terrain >> SLIDE 19 Inset Floor Joist Method for Houses with Basements or Crawl Spaces Image: A blueprint showing framing on top of foundation Conventional method: All of the framing is on top of the foundation. Image: A blue print showing floor joists set into a notch at the top of the foundation Alternative method: Set the floor joists into a notch at the top of the foundation. >> SLIDE 20 The Inset Floor Joist Method with basements permits a sidewalk to tie to the porch Image: Four homes with sidewalks leading to front door. >> SLIDE 21 Is a zero-step entrance ALWAYS practical? Not always. Not if the site offers all 3 of these challenges: - is steep - AND has no driveway - AND has no back approach. Image: A home with steps leading to front door. >> SLIDE 22 If you go the route of adding features to the 3 basics of Visitability: You might use the Fair Housing Act as your guide. Several features  are required  by federal law  since 1991 in all new multifamily residential buildings with four or more units: public or private, rental or condo.   - Image: zero step entrance - Image: Wide interior doorway - Image: Blue print of bathroom with maneuverable space in front of toilet and sink - Image: Blue print of visitable home - Image: Blue print of bath tub and toilet, constructed so that accessibility features like grab bars can be added - Image: Electrical socket >> SLIDE 23 Forces opposing Visitability mandates - The National Association of Home Builders and its state and local affiliates. - Often along with them, the National Association of Realtors. - The general public at times, because of misunderstanding; philosophical opposition; or ageism and ableism. >> SLIDE 24 Law Initiatives/Examples Examples of Good Visitability Law initiatives: - Every new house, period. - Every new house for which the developer or buyer receives any form of federal, state or local Financial Assistance (construction funds, funds for infrastructure such as streets or sewers, first time homeowners down payment assistance, etc). In other words, laws that tie access requirements to EXISTING benefits which the developer or buyer chooses to take advantage of. - Inclusive Home Design Act. - Laws that allow the developer to receive certain non-financial benefits such as zoning changes for increased density, provided that the must incorporate Visitability. Unadvisable Visitability Law Initiaitves : - Laws that give developers NEW financial benefits such as tax breaks - “Laws” that merely educate and have no actual construction requirements >> SLIDE 25 Policy Initiatives: Positive Examples - Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Board decisions to Build every new house Visitable — Birmingham AL Image: Home with zero step entrance - HUD Hope VI -- Extra point for developers’ applications for funding — Macon GA Image: Home with zero step entrance >> SLIDE 26 Policy Initiatives/Examples, continued Ohio Housing Finance Authority: Board decision that developers who receive the Low Income Tax Credit Must incorporate Visitability Image: Apartment complex with zero step entrance Dekalb County (Georgia) Housing Authority— Paul Pierce -- approx. 100 homes whose owners received first-time home owners’ down payment assistance. Image: Home with zero step entrance >> SLIDE 27 Policy Initiatives/Examples, continued East Lake Commons-- Co-housing community (Decatur GA): All 67 homes Visitable. Image: Home with zero step entrance For-profit developer of high-end, single-family homes: All homes visitable. (Decatur GA) Image: Home with zero step entrance >> SLIDE 28 Alternative to Town Houses Image: A town house under construction >> SLIDE 29 Potential Allies for Visitability mandates - Medicare/Medicaid savings groups, whether from the political left or the right, who understand the relationship between Visitability and fewer people in nursing homes. - EMT’s and Fire marshals - Package delivery companies - Workers Comp - Home insurance companies >> SLIDE 30 Good Places for You to Give Presentations - Local/state Habitat for Humanity Affiliates - Realtors - Local/state AARP - Affordable Housing boards/developers - Chapters of AIA - Planning Agencies (e.g., state and local affiliates of the American Planning Association) - Green building groups - City Councils/Mayors - Boards of foundations that give money for home construction - Conferences of many types, especially on panels whose topic is not just on disability or aging! (i.e., to new audiences who would not be drawn to aging/disability category) >> SLIDE 31 Best wishes for your ongoing Visitability Advocacy. >> END PRESENTATION