Visitability

Visitability is an international movement to change home construction practices so that virtually all new homes, whether or not designated for residents who currently have mobility impairments, offer three specific accessibility features. Supporters ultimately want to require that all new homes be at least partly accessible to people with mobility impairments.

Newly constructed homes often contain the same major barriers as older, existing homes: steps at every entrance, and narrow interior doors, with the bathroom door usually the narrowest door in the house. Therefore, in the visitability movement, three key features are promoted:

At least one zero-step entrance on an accessible route leading from a driveway or public sidewalk,
All interior doors providing at least 31 ¾ inches (81 cm) of unobstructed passage space and
At least a half bathroom on the main floor¹

If a goal is residents' remaining in the home if mobility impairment occurs, two additional basics are necessary: a full bathroom on the main floor, and a bedroom or space that could be converted to a bedroom.

Visitability is similar to Universal Design in general intention, but is more focused in scope, more specific in parameters, and more explicitly grounded in a social reform intent.

Visitability features make homes easier for people who develop a mobility impairment to visit friends and extended family rather than having to turn down invitations, or not be invited at all. These features also provide a basic shell of access to permit formerly non-disabled people to remain in their homes if they develop a disability, rather than forcing them to do expensive renovations, relocate to a different house, live in an inaccessible home which endangers their health and safety, or move from the community into a nursing home.

1 Specific goals
2 Construction issues
3 History
4 Benefits
5 Adoption of visitability laws
6 References

Specific goals

A focus on single-family homes instead of public buildings. Access to new public buildings, such as government offices and restaurants, is typically already required under various national laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in the United States. Outside of the UK, single-family homes are the one kind of building which is still routinely constructed without regard to access.
Every home instead of just "special" homes. Being able to attend the party is better than isolation, or the risk of being "helped up the steps." People who use wheelchairs or walkers, or are impaired by stiffness, weakness or balance problems are blocked by steps at every entrance of a home. Wheelchair users are stopped by inches from fitting through the bathroom door in a friend or relative’s home.
Narrowing the emphasis to the most essential features, which are:

entering a home,
fitting through the interior doors, and
being able to use a toilet.

While there are many possible or desirable features, strongly prioritizing the few features which are most crucial to visiting or residing in a home greatly increases the likelihood of widespread construction change.

Basic access goes beyond visiting. It also helps a person of any age who develops a temporary or permanent mobility impairment. Without basic access in place, architecture forces severe choices:

Expensive renovations, assuming that the necessary changes are possible.
Being unable to enter or exit the home independently, or to use the bathroom at all.
Moving to another home or to a nursing home or other specialized facility.

These issues can apply equally to a person who is recovering from surgery, or to a person who has used a wheelchair for decades.

Construction issues

Zero-step entrances on new homes are nearly always easy to construct, whether the terrain is flat or hilly. The entrance can be constructed at the front, side or back, wherever is most feasible for the topography. A driveway or sidewalk can be a tool for access to the best entrance. Porches and decks can be used to incorporate access, often in a manner where it is not as obvious as many ramps.

On new construction, a zero-step entrance can usually be incorporated without a “ramp” per se, i.e. without a structure that has 90-degree dropoffs at the edges and rails at the sides. In most cases, this type of ramp is not necessary because the entrance can be achieved by deliberately grading the lot in a way that permits the sidewalk to meet the porch without a step.

For the 40% of homes built with a slab-on-grade foundation, the zero-step entrance is typically extremely easy. The methods for homes are virtually identical to those used for slab-built commercial buildings such as banks and restaurants. For homes with basements or crawlspaces, several solutions can provide low-cost, attractive zero-step entrances. Among these are using a porch as a bridge to the sidewalk; lowering the first-floor rim joist into a notch in the foundation wall at the time of construction; a short, conventional ramp tied into a side or back deck or porch; creative use of a small retaining wall; and constructing the zero-step entrance from the garage. With all methods, siting the home properly on the lot and grading the earth with the zero-step entrance in mind are essential.

History

In the United States, the Visitability movement was begun by grass roots advocates led by Eleanor Smith in an organization called Concrete Change, who originated and developed the concept in 1986, at that time using the term "Basic Home Access". In 1990, when US advocates learned that the term “Visitability” was used in Great Britain for a similar concept, they adopted the term to emphasize that the goal is not the traditional “more homes for the disabled” but rather a change in standard homebuilding procedure. Concrete Change continues to grow in number of participants and number of open-market houses built with the basic features.

Great Britain applies the most widespread application of the concept to date. In 1999, Parliament passed "section M", an amendment to residential building regulations requiring basic access in all new homes.²

Advocates maintain that the philosophical underpinning of Visitability is as important as the list of features. They maintain that building homes with steps at all entrances and narrow interior doors is an unacceptable violation of human rights, given the harsh effects the barriers have on so many people's lives: physically unsafe living conditions, social isolation and forced institutionalization.

Benefits

Residents in the community can welcome guests who use wheelchairs or walkers (walking frames), or have some other mobility impairment such as stiffness, weakness or poor balance. When Visitability is in place, mobility-limited people are not socially isolated by architecture.
If a family member develops a disability though illness, accident or aging, the person and their family are more likely to be able to remain in their existing home, rather than having to do major, expensive renovation—or move to another house, or a nursing home.
All residents find it easier to bring in baby strollers, grocery carts, or heavy furniture.
Visitable homes enhance sale and re-sale in an era where the both the number and the percent of older people are growing rapidly. Non-disabled buyers are attracted to well-designed homes that welcome their aging relatives and friends and provide easy-use convenience for themselves.
Temporary disabilities, i.e. broken leg, surgery, etc, can require use of a wheelchair or other mobility device during the recovery/rehabilitation period. This can be a major inconvenience in most existing homes lacking these basic accessibility features.
Visitability features cost little up front - unlike the much higher after-the-fact cost of widening doors and adding ramps or electric porch lifts.
Besides human rights, advocates cite the economic implications of Visitability. By 2010, research by the National Association of Home Builders indicates that half of all US homes will be headed by persons 55 years old or older.³ Average nursing home costs exceed $60,000 dollars per year per resident⁴, while nearly 70% of nursing home costs are paid with public funds.⁵ Staying out of institutions as long as possible is a strong desire of most people and also financially beneficial to individuals, families and society.

Adoption of visitability laws

Because not all locations use the term “visitability” in their efforts, it is difficult to definitively track the adoption of visitability across the country. Other factors complicating the research include the lack of an organization assigned to monitor visitability ordinances, and ordinances and laws that often do not specify the agency responsible for implementation.

In the United States, successful Visitability legislation has been passed in many localities, including Atlanta, Georgia; Pima County, Arizona; Bolingbrook, Illinois; San Antonio, Texas; and the State of California.⁶ As of June 2006, 46 state and local municipalities had a confirmed visitability program in place; while 25 of these programs are mandatory ordinances, the other 21 are voluntary initiatives (i.e. cash and tax incentives for builders and consumers, consumer awareness campaigns, and certification programs). In addition, there are numerous efforts to establish visitability programs in other states, counties and cities across the country. The research identified another 30 initiatives currently underway. They range from organized groups of individuals with an expressed interest in beginning a visitability program to locations that are in the final stages of developing a program ⁷.

References

^ Concrete Change website
^ "Doors to Be Swept Away in New Rules for Builders," Rachel Kelley, The Times, December 5, 1997.
^ "Profile of the 50+ Housing Market," Nations Building News, July 31, 2006.
^ GE Financial Survey, 2003
^ “Medicaid and Long-term Care,” Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, May, 2004.
^ Concrete Change, op.cit.
^ Maisel, J. (2006). Toward inclusive housing and neighborhood design: A look at visitability. Community Development: Journal of the Community Development Society, 37 (3), 26-34

8. "Increasing Home Access: Designing For Visitability" AARP Public Policy Institute, Jordana L. Maisel, IDEA Center; Eleanor Smith, Concrete Change; Edward Steinfeld, IDEA Center; August 2008

Media dis&dat: Montana wheelchair user talks visitability: It simply means that new standards for constructing homes ought to be enforced, according to advocates of Visitability, a growing international movement to change standard homebuilding procedures to include specific accessibility ...
Visitability by Konrad Kaletsch 3-19-09: Visitability is: one zero-step entrance with a wider entrance door (36″), wider interior halls and DOORS (32″), and a bathroom, all on one floor, meaning anyone can visit your home without fear or embarrassment (or you visit them). ...
Visitability « Give Housing A Voice: Visitability is a movement to change home construction practices so that new homes built with public funds offer a few specific features that make the home easier for people with mobility impairments to live in and visit. ...
Visitability bill: Hi, the Assembly is in Albany for a session today. Please make calls to Sheldon Silver on his Albany number at 518-455-3791 to urge him to push Visitability bill A. 9409 out of the Rules Committee onto the Assembly Floor. ...
Urge Assembly Speaker Silver to Take Action on Visitability: Action: The Senate passed the Visitability bill (S.8150) on June 18th, but the Assembly left town without doing the same. In order to get it to the Assembly floor for a vote, it still has to go through the Assembly Committee on Rules. ...
Happy Anniversary ADA! -- My Thoughts on ADA and Visitability: First things first. July 26, 2010 was the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, known as the ADA. I was just about to turn 33 years old when this was signed into office and I had no clue what it come to ...
Building homes with 'visitability' in mind: Building homes with 'visitability' in mind When you're young, healthy, and able-bodied, a ramp and wide doorways may be the last things on your mind while house-hunting. Read more on Daily Inter Lake.
MCIL Promotes Visitability: The Memphis Center for Independent Living has introduced the creation of the Visitable Housing Initiative of Memphis. The goals is, through partnerships and collaborations, to pass a city ordinance that would require all new housing ...
New visitability resources available from universal design group ...: 1) A 10-page illustrated booklet on visitability that contains a rationale for visitability; photos of visitable houses; a sample house plan; detailed standards, language and illustrations that can be used as models for proposed ...
Building homes with visitability in mind: When youre young, healthy, and able-bodied, a ramp and wide doorways may be the last things on your mind while house-hunting.
Let's Talk...VISIT-ABILITY: VISIT-ABILITY. Have you heard this term before? And what on earth does it stand for? The IDEA Center, located in Buffalo, NY, on the University at Buffalo South Campus in Hayes Hall defines it as: “Visitability is an affordable, ...
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accident flathead lake: Building homes with 'visitability' in mind Daily Inter Lake The Flathead Valley affiliate of Habitat for Humanity now builds all of its homes according to visitability standards. “It just makes sense to go ahead and . ...
Finessing Universal Design for Boomers - Rolling Rains Report: In the current fanciful inversion of Universal Design into "Undulating Danger" we get the following manifesto of "In-visitability": Do you want to live in an apartment or house that can help you determine the nature and extent of ...
Nevermind Healthcare – Should Visitability be a Federal Law?: It is not enough for disability advocates to argue for Visitability on a state-by-state basis. Visitability must become a national priority. Too often individuals become prisoners in their homes because they can't safely navigate the ...
Habitat for Humanity creates Visitability Awareness month: Local leaders joined together with Habitat for Humanity and other charitable groups to promote the visitability movement.
Legislative Lookout Spring/Summer Issue 6: b) Establish standards for “visitability” in State law, requiring all newly constructed single-family houses, townhouses and ground-floor units of duplexes and triplexes built with public funds to be made accessible. A. ...
Access control system, Top Ten Considerations for Making Your Home ...: ... building access control system into your home can prove vital for aging in place, caring for a family member or increasing the visit ability of your home. ...
March 4th - Public Hearing Visitability: Show your support for Visitability Legislation. Visitability is when a single family home has: one zero step entrance at the front, rear or side. 32” doorways and 36” wide halls on main floor. A bath on the main floor that provides ...
Choosing House Paint For Visitability Or Aging in Place Remodeling: Paint choices when remodeling for aging in place and visitability should provide comfort, low maintenance, safety and livability. Psychologically, paint can have a significant impact on any person's life, particularly those who are ...
Should Visitability Be A Federal Law?: Visitability is an important strategy for developing accessible housing. It can contribute to creating neighborhoods and communities that welcome everyone. There is a huge market of 78.2 million Baby Boomers who may soon need affordable ...
IU Health & Wellness: Visitability: Housing designed to be welcoming place for all. New housing construction has yet to catch up with 21st century lifestyles, where more people want to stay in their homes as they age, young parents juggle strollers and ...
"Visitability" -- A Conversation with Jordana Maisel - Planning ...: Betsey Krumholz, General Manager of the Planning Commissioners Journal, interviews Jordana Maisel about her article, "Visitability": A Major "No-Step" Towards Inclusive Housing, published in the Spring 2007 isssue of the Journal.
City of Austin Proposed “Visitability Ordinance”: The “visitability” ordinance proposed by Councilwoman Betty Dunkerley has been softened somewhat from its original requirements. (Download the proposed Visitability Ordinance (dated 5/29/08) from the City of Austin website below. ...
Moonbattery: Visitability: A New Frontier in the Tyranny of the ...: The initial objective of Visitability proponents is to impose on every home a zero-step entrance, interior doors at least 32" wide, and at least one wheelchair-accessible bathroom on the ground floor. Once they've managed to have this ...
Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability: Visitability initiatives that support aging independently in one's home and community are the subject of this AARP Public Policy Institute Research Report. Authors Jordana Maisel and Edward Steinfeld of the Center for Inclusive Design ...
The apple announces the MacOSX10.6.2 second betas edition newly: BileMe , the iDisk support, and the visit ability to NTFS and WebDAV are nicer. New edition Beta returns the stability and function having strengthened OpenCL translator-editor back , various make use of OpenCL arithmetic procedure to ...
H.R. 1408: Inclusive Home Design Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us): A bill in the US Congress: To require all newly constructed, federally assisted, single-family houses and town houses to meet minimum standards of visitability for persons with disabilities.
The Economic Impact of Visitability on Ordinary Tourism: This one travelogue by the founder of the movement for Visitability, Eleanor Smith, tells the overlooked story of how lack of accessibility and the failure to adopt Universal Design even in our homes has an economic impact on a region's ...
ANSI Endorses “Visitability” Criteria | United ...: “Visitability,” a growing movement focusing on making individual homes accessible by targeting the most fundamental, inexpensive features—getting in and out of the house and being able to use a bathroom—has gained important support from ...
Rolling Rains Report:: Free Book: Universal Design and Visitability: Universal Design and Visitability: From Accessibility to Zoning. Columbus, OH: John Glenn School of Public Affairs. (Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts Universal Design Leadership Initiative). ...
Visitability Practices Increases Community Inclusion: Visitability practices benefits people with limited mobility and enables seniors to “age in place” with minimal renovations needed. Visitability increases opportunities for social interaction and inclusive, livable communities. ...
Support “Visitable” Homes: “Visitable” homes have at least one no-step entrance to a door at least 36 inches wide and a bathroom on the first floor that can accommodate a person who uses a wheelchair. This inclusive home design, when planned for before ...
Visitability.: This ordinance actually has little to do with "visitability." Visitors don't need light switches or outlets at a certain level; they don't need thermostats or breaker boxes at a certain level; they generally don't need lever door ...
The Feminist Argument for Visitability: Most folks have no clue what “visitability” means, and the American building industry would like to keep things that way. And yet visitability is THE clear architectural expression of real community building, real breakdown of ...
Mind the Gap: The concept of "visitability" is one of the simplest and most economical approaches to universal design that can address homeowners' and community needs over time, contributing to a more flexible and sustainable built environment. ...
The Holidays are Coming – Visit-ability (Part One): Visit-ability, a trend that has been gaining more and more support starting in the mid-80s is a movement/philosophy that seeks to insure that all homes are at least partially accessible to people with mobility impairments, ...
Accessible Living: Learning the Lingo: “Visitability”: A good working definition of visitability or a visitable home is a home that is deliberately designed to include the following elements, whether or not the owner/occupant is disabled (hence: able to be successfully and enjoyably visited ...
In Brief: Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability: Visitability initiatives that support aging independently in one's home and community are explored in this brief summary of a similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute report. Authors Jordana Maisel and Edward Steinfeld of the ...
Aging, Visitability, and Santa: With each passing season and the aging of our loved ones, the idea of “visitability” becomes a reality in our Holiday planning. The gift of receiving others into our homes is what defines the season and it's where life-time memories are ...
Universal Design: Visitability: Visitability is on my mind this week. My parents last visited me in my 1906 brownstone five years ago for a Christmas dinner; it is no longer possible for them to visit. My home is not visitable; only a crazy amount of cash would make ...
The Time For 'Visitability" Is Now!: Visitability is simply building a structure right from the design point that is either accessible (using ADA standards) or can easily be modified for accessibility later on. For instance, all structures should have all doorways built to ...
question about universal design / visitability in California: Forum: Land Use, Zoning and Development Control Posted By: pcjournal Post Time: 2007-02-13 at 03:48 PM.
Handicapped Access and Visitability: Handicapped access to your new home allows elderly and disabled visitors and occupants to enjoy it with you.
Planning journal says majority of homes need Visitability: When urging universal Visitability, advocates often are told that people with mobility impairments make up only a tiny slice of the population, and the needs of these few should not impinge on general house construction. ...
Visitability is for Everybody: ... to people with disabilities, including those who acquire disabilities as they age. And the time to require it is now! By Tamar Asedo Sherman Visitability is a simple concept: every home should have one entrance with no steps and [. ...
Ideas in Action: Visitability Standards for New Houses: All new single-family houses constructed in Bolingbrook, Illinois, must now conform to "visitability" standards established by the village to ensure that these homes are accessible to individuals with mobility impairments. ...
RESOURCE: Book on Universal Design and Visitability: New Resource On Universal Design & Visitability. To be disabled too frequently also means to be excluded. And often it is, not only people, but also buildings that exclude. In the early years of learning to include people with ...
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Visitability: In fact, our own home is no model of Visitability either. I've never visited the attic, or the basement (although my wife took pictures once so I would understand her when she described something about them that I needed to know. ...
The Holidays Are Coming – Visitability – Part 2: The Holidays Are Coming – Visitability – Part 2. Part 2 in a series on Visitability by Raad Ghantous. The most important thing you can do to make your home visit-able is to ensure that you have at least one zero-step entry into your ...
Visitability gets some news coverage: Visitability strives to make homes more accessible to people with disabilities. Concete Change in Georgia, which developed the concept, defines it as a movement "to change home construction practices so that virtually all new homes ...
What is visitability? Visitability" is a growing trend nationwide ...: What is visitability? Visitability" is a growing trend nationwide. The term refers to single-family or owner-occupied housing designed in such a way that it can be lived in or visited by people who have trouble with steps or who use ...
Why Visitability is included: One of the things in the proposal for a Waukesha County Housing Trust Fund is the requirement for Visitability in new single-family homes funded by the Trust Fund. Visitability is the idea that people with mobility disabilities should ...
Visitability: Concrete Change is the flagship promoter of the concept "Visitability." Ragged Edge magazine has also developed a valuable online resource at www.visitability.org So has SUNY-Buffalo's Center for Inclusive Design and the Australian ...
New report from AARP gives weight to visitability: Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability was put together by Concrete Change founder Eleanor Smith and the folks at the University of Buffalo's IDEA Center -- the two national expert sources on visitability. ...
15 Ways To Increase The Life Of Your Laptop's Battery: Visit Ability Options. Get accustomed with ability administration through the 'Power Options' applet in the Control Panel. Both XP and Vista appear with avant-garde ability administration actualization which shut off apparatus like the ...
Visitability: Lending Access to Single-Family Homes: The visitability movement focuses on providing accessibility at ingress/egress points and to common rooms within single-family homes. Unlike ADA legislation, it does not focus on multi-family or commercial enterprises. ...
Toledo passes 'visitability' ordinance: These three simple features are the hallmarks of visitability, a movement that is gaining momentum nationwide. The Toledo ordinance also requires new homes to have wall outlets "at least 15 inches above the finished floor"; ...
Visit-ability: Visit-ability is an affordable, sustainable and inclusive design approach for integrating basic accessibility features into all newly built homes and housing. The Visit-ability movement is based on the conviction that inclusion of basic ...
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Visitability Home Design - Senior's Age at Home: Advocates of housing accessibility have developed a concept known as “visitability,” or a design approach that integrates a few core accessibility features as a routine construction practice into newly built single-family houses. ...
Metro Broker's Kay Watson Defines "Visitability": Kay Watson: Ok, I think one thing that is kind of surfaced in our last meetings at the National Association of Realtors was Broker visitability [phonetic], now that's a word that does not even spell check, but visitability is being able ...
Winners And Losers In Visitability Scuffle: Losers in the visitability scuffle may include spokesmen for the most radical flanks of the disabled community, who pushed for mandating all new homebuyers to bear the cost of expensive modifications that would make their properties ...
Council to Revisit Visitability: ... very least the name of the ordinance should be changed. Why is it called “Visitability” when she is asking for thermostats and light switches to be lowered? Fair Warning: If you change the temperature on my AC you won't be invited back!
Visitability resources...: Visitability resources, provided by Katja from broken clay , are included in the comments* below the Universal Design post from yesterday. She includes not only links to definitions of visitability, but a chart showing the law in ...
Universal Design versus Visitability: Ruth (Wheelie Catholic) has got some discussion going about Universal Design and Visitability. Universal Design is based on the idea that products and environments should be designed in a way to make them usable by as many people as ...
Visitability Strategy Group: By clicking on the link, you'll send a letter to your state legislators informing them about Visitability and letting them know you support this standard for homes built in the future.
The Holidays Are Coming – Visitability – Part 2: Part 2 in a series on Visitability. The most important thing you can do to make your home visit-able is to ensure that you have at least one zero-step entry into your home. That is access to your home that doesn't require anyone ...
The Visitability Movement: “Visitability”, a cousin of universal design, ensures that they can. The visitability movement focuses on providing accessibility at ingress/egress points and to common rooms within single-family homes. Visitability is a growing trend ...
A Major Endorsement of Visitability in US Housing: The US Green Building Council has taken a major step in changing the face of the built residential market in the US with the "Universal Accessibility" designation for residential communities seeking LEED certification. ...
Home builders object and Austin backs away from housing ...: The goals of the “visitability” movement is simple: to ensure that a person with a disability can visit a home, use a restroom in a newly built home and ensure new homes are designed to able to be modified in the future at a reasonable ...
Universal Design, Visitability and the "Resort Lifestyle" in a ...: Innovation around town includes a strong does of Universal Design and Visitability according to the Kansas City Star: What works is universal design — houses that have entryways without steps, wider doorways, lever handles instead of ...
Austin approves two 'visitability' requirements: The Austin City Council approved Wednesday a watered-down version of its "visitability" ordinance that aims to make all new homes and duplexes accessible for people with...
City Council passes bare-bones version of visitability ordinance: The Austin City Council on Wednesday passed a diluted version of the so-called residential "visitability ordinance" following a discussion where homebuilders and handicapped...
Visitability, Legos, Sexuality, and ACOTE...can it get any better ...: It's based in Georgia and promotes a concept called "visitability." Many cities have passed ordinances requiring newly built private homes to have basic accessible features, if the homes are built with public monies. ...
The Press-Republican endorses "Visitability": The editorial in the June 20th Press-Republican endorsed the "Visitability" bills now being debated in the New York State Assembly and Senate. For more information on this issue, go to this post from earlier this month.
The Viability of Voluntary Visitability: A Case Study of Irvine's ...: Scott E. Kaminski, Sanjoy Mazumdar, Joseph FC dimento, Gilbert Geis Jan 1, 2006; 17:49-56. Article.
Resources on Visitability: The IDEA Center at SUNY - Buffalo maintains a collection of online resources explaining Visitability at http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/visitability/...
Visitability.: The "visitability" ordinance is on the June 18 City Council agenda. Most of the proposals are bad ideas. (via Austin Contrarian)
Diminished Visitability: When visiting a friend resembles an episode of Man vs. Wild. By Beth Livingston Last summer I made plans to visit my friends Lisa and Mike in Salt Lake City. I was going to be in town on business and delighted in the thought that I ...
Lafayette CO passes visitability ordinance: The city's “visitability” ordinance, passed by a 7-0 vote, requires that 25 percent of new homes constructed in Lafayette include at least one stairless entrance into the home, a wider-than-normal bathroom doorway on the ground floor ...
Reinforcing visitability as part of Universal Design: But I especially like the focus on visitability. If we are looking to create the optimal environment for aging in place, we have to remember our needs to socialize and maintain friendships. Socialization is critical for our emotional ...
Universal Design and Visitability - Jul 13-14, Columbus OH: Link: Current Courses. Universal Design and Visitability: From Accessibility to Zoning Conference. Mark your calendar for July 13-14, 2006! The Ohio State University in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, ...
The New Visitability Slide Show Available for Download: On the Visitability web site, Concrete Change, you will find this goal statement: VISIT-ABILITY (Inclusive Home Design) Our focus is new homes. Not government buildings, restaurants, etc. (important as they are). ...
Visitability: Visitability, or visit-ability is a concept that promotes access to the elderly and disabled in residential housing. They make the excellent point that new construction should bear in mind how a person with limited mobility might find ...
Appeal: Universal Design and Visitability Curriculum: ... an NSF-funded summer enrichment program for high school students based at Temple University called bITS (Building Information Technology Skills), wher I am introducing concepts of Universal Design and Visitability to the students. ...
Bolingbrook Illinois implements Visitability: Recently we noticed Bolingbrook features a Visitability section on their official city website. It offers a copy of the ordinance, a city map with colored areas showing the visitable neighborhoods, and a construction drawing showing one ...
Learn about Universal Design and Visitability: An Atlanta-based organization called Concrete Change promotes a concept called visitability, which is “a movement to change home construction practices so that virtually all new homes--whether or not designated for residents who ...
States and cities mandate "visitability" in new homes: A growing number of state and local governments are requiring builders to include features in new homes that improve their "visitability" by people of all ages, according to a report from the Washington-based AARP.
Launched Today: Visitability Canada: Visitability is a family value. It is a choice to allow the participation of family members who may have limited mobility and to welcome neighbors and guests with ambulatory disabilities. As this particular outgrowth of Universal Design ...
A New Community Idea: VISITABILITY: This week it's VISITABILITY. I often get questions and comments from citizens about the housing needs of the elderly or disabled. Usually its a plea for more senior housing. The implied message of course is that seniors are having ...
Visitability, the personal side: Being a wheelchair user certainly cramps your style when it comes to getting into other people's houses. My boss has a monthly after-work gathering for his immediate staff; it rotates between 6 or 7 people's houses. ...
Universal Design & Visitability: From Accessibility to Zoning: Date: July 13 & 14, 2006 Sponsored by: The Ohio State University in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, the John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy, the Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and...
Preliminary Standards: Inclusion and Visitability for the ...: Gordon Rattray of Able Travel is first out of the gate in publishing a new type of resource for hoteliers. The document, Making Your Property More Inclusive: Basic Guidelines for African Safaris, is only one example of a new generation. ...
Visitability Workshop a Success: On Monday of this week, Alabama Power hosted a Visitability Workshop. Eleanor Smith, the main speaker at the workshop, defines visitability as a movement to change home construction practices so that virtually all new homes - not merely ...
Activists Call 'New Urbanism' to Account Over Lack of Visitability: Eleanor Smith, founder of Concrete Change, reports on the shortcomings of the New Urbanism movement in this article at Ragged Edge magazine: http://www.raggededgemagazine.com/focus/esmithnewurbanism0705.html...
Universities, Visitability, and Inclusive Destination Development: Who will represent Universal Design in the HUD grant competition for rebuilding after Katrina? The Universities Rebuilding America Partnerships (URAP)- Community Design program provides funding to schools of architecture, urban planning ...
Visitability.: Betty Dunkerly's so-called "visitability" ordinance (pdf) is on the June 18 Austin City Council agenda. I don't know whether Council will actually consider it on Wednesday but since I haven't weighed in on this ordinance before, ...