Quick Guide to Accessible Housing for People with Disabilities
What is accessible housing?
As a practical matter, an accessible home (house, apartment, etc.) is one which enables an individual to do what he or she needs and desires to do as independently as possible. For some, access may be as simple as adding grab bars and a tub seat in the bathroom. For wheelchair users, access may require ramping entrances, widening doorways, lowering counters, adding lever or loop-style hardware to doors and drawers, and modifying storage areas.
Individuals with sensory disabilities have needs that are different from those of people with mobility disabilities. Individuals with hearing disabilities require visual adaptations for such items as the telephone ringer, the doorbell, and smoke alarms. People who are blind may require tactile marking of changes in floor level and stair edges and braille markings on appliances and controls. People with low vision may be accommodated with large print markings and displays, contrasting colors to distinguish changes in level or transition from one area to another, proper lighting, and reduced glare from lighting and windows.
Because the requirements of accessibility vary so widely, several terms have become widely used (see Table 1 below). Accessible design generally refers to houses or other dwellings that meet specific requirements for accessibility. These requirements are found in state, local and model building codes, and regulations such as the Fair Housing Amendments of 1988, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards A117.1-1986, and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS). These laws dictate standards dimensions and characteristics for such features as door widths, clear space for wheelchair mobility, audible and visual signals, grab bars, switch and outlet height, and more. The accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulate the accessibility of public buildings and facilities.
Table 1. Accessibility Modification Language
| Accessible |
Accessible features are permanently fixed in place and noticeable. An accessible housing unit might include items such as wide doors, lower countertop segments, or grab bars in the bathroom, for example. |
| Adaptable |
LAdaptable features are those that can be adjusted in a short time by unskilled labor without involving structural or material changes. Adaptable units look the same as other units in the building except that accessible features can be easily added to match an individual’s needs. Examples of adaptable features include counter tops or closet rods that are supported by adjustable supports rather than built into the wall at a fixed level. |
| Assistive Technology |
Assistive technology includes devices for personal use created specifically to enhance the physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities of people with disabilities and to help them function more independently. Examples of assistive technology include flashing doorbells or TTY technology for people with auditory impairments. |
| Rehabilitation Engineering |
Rehabilitation Engineering is the science and study of applying scientific principles and engineering methodologies to addressing the mobility, communication, and transportation needs of people with disabilities. |
| Universal Design |
Universal design incorporates the characteristics necessary for people with physical limitations into the design of common products and building spaces, making them easier and safer for everyone to use and more widely marketable and profitable. An example of universal design is the use of lever handles on doors. As opposed to doorknobs which can be difficult for people with limited use of their hands, lever handles are useable by all people. |
| Visitability |
Visitability refers to homes designed to meet the accessibility needs of both its residents and any anticipated guests with disabilities. Bathrooms with doors wide enough to accommodate wheelchair users is an example of a visitable feature. These features make the home vistable to guests with disabilities while also allowing the resident to stay in the home over time as the resident’s physical needs change. |
Source: Opening Doors, June 2000, Issue 10: "Accessible Housing for People with Disabilities", http://www.tacinc.org/servicesframe.html
It is not necessary to own a house in order to obtain accessible housing. The Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHAA), which became effective on March 12, 1989, extended the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 to cover housing for people with disabilities. Under the FHAA, it is illegal to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of a dwelling, to refuse to process an offer, or to refuse a legitimate offer on the basis of an applicant's disability. It is also illegal to use differing applications or criteria for persons with and without disabilities or to segregate persons with disabilities to specific units or areas. Further, the Amendments render it unlawful to inquire as to whether the buyer or renter has a disability and as to the severity of the disability. These prohibitions apply to most housing options, including multi-family buildings, condominiums, cooperatives, and mobile homes. However, the FHAA does not apply to the sale or rental of single-family homes unless the owner owns more than three such homes at the same time and the sale or rental is conducted without the use of a real estate broker, agent, or salesperson. The Amendments also do not apply to multi-family dwellings of four or fewer units if the owner occupies one of those units as his or her place of residence.
How do I find accessible housing?
First, you will need to assess your accessibility needs. Your individual situation will determine what accessibility features you will require. If you use a wheelchair, there are many issues you will need to consider, such as access to the building, entryways, hallways, turning space, counter heights, cabinet heights and pulls, etc. If you feel you may need assistance in determining your accessible needs, contact your local Center for Independent Living for an assessment of adaptive needs.
Independent Living for an assessment of adaptive needs.
When searching for an accessible house, you will need to thoroughly investigate each house you are considering. When you call the realtor, find out what level of accessibility is offered. Just because a home lists as an accessible home does not mean a home meets all of your criteria of accessibility:
- Will you require a ramp?
- How many barriers exist to get from outside to inside such as alleys, uneven pavement, stairs, and hills?
- Do doorways need to be widened?
- Are the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room accessible? Will they require additional accommodations such as grab bars?
- Is just the entryway of the home accessible, or is the home fully accessible? Is there appropriate space for wheelchairs between interior walls and in doorways?
- Are the kitchen and bathroom accessible and are sinks and counters lowered, are there grab bars for use in the bathroom, etc.?
- You will also want to consider the location of the home, not only in terms of security, but also in terms of convenience. Above all, ask yourself, "Will I be comfortable in this home?"
While achieving accessibility may mean finding a new apartment or designing and building a single-family home to the specifications that meet the needs of a person with a specific disability, it is often possible to adapt or modify current and existing housing using various assistive technologies. Whether you are building an accessible home or modifying an existing residence, the cost can be prohibitive. A home equity or other bank loan may be one financing alternative. Depending upon one's circumstances and the nature of the disability, assistance may also be obtained through medical insurance, medical and social services, income support, or vocational services from any of a number of different resources. Consumer-oriented disability organizations and rehabilitation facilities may also provide information resources on funding assistance available in the local community.
Programs to Help Finance Accessible Homes and Accessibility Modifications
Of course, affordability of housing and rental stock, as well as the costs of modification, are essential aspects of accessibility. There are a limited number of programs which provide financial assistance to people with disabilities to help them afford homes and to make their homes accessible. Of these, only a few are targeted exclusively to people with disabilities. The majority provide assistance on a first come, first served basis and therefore the funding may be distributed very quickly. Each program is administered differently, and it is important to learn the rules and guidelines for each. For example, some programs may give grants before the modifications are made. Other programs provide reimbursements only after the modifications have been completed and the bills have been paid. Before making any modifications, make sure to explore all available funding options and learn what the requirements are for each. The Independent Living Center in your area is a good source of information regarding accessibility modifications. Some resources for funding accessible homes and accessibility modifications include:
- Consolidated Plan Funds. The Consolidated Plan (ConPlan) is considered the "master plan" for affordable housing in local communities and states. It is a community-based strategic planning document mandated by federal law and administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The ConPlan is also an application to HUD for four housing and community development programs. It is intended by law to be a long-range planning document that describes housing needs, market conditions, and housing strategies, including an action plan for the investment of federal housing funds.
Each state or locality determines how to use these funds and in what manner they will be distributed. For example, one state may choose to provide direct grants to low-income renters for accessibility modifications while a locality within the same state may choose to allocate funding to non-profit organizations to provide loans to homeowners wishing to make similar modifications. It is important to learn what opportunities are available in your community. Contact your state or local community development department to learn more about the Consolidated Plan for your area. A guide to the Consolidated Plan process, Piecing it all Together in your Community and past issues of Opening Doors (available on-line at www.tacinc.org) are helpful resources for learning about this process.
- State Housing Finance Agency Programs. State Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) are another potential source of financial assistance for covering the costs of accessibility modifications. HFAs are authorized by the federal government to sell tax-exempt bonds for a variety of different public purposes. In some states, HFAs use this ability to provide low interest rate loans to make accessibility modifications. Since, as with other resources, the funding is limited, it is important to learn how the Housing Finance Agency in your state makes these programs available to increase the chance of receiving funding.
- Medicaid Home and Community Based Waivers. In many states, Medicaid Home and Community Based Waiver funds can be used to pay for accessibility modifications. In 1997, 26 states allowed Medicaid payments to be used for accessibility modifications and this number is expected to grow over the next few years.
- Veterans Administration Programs. The federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has many programs that provide grants to veterans with disabilities that need to make modifications to their homes. Contact the VA office in your area to learn more.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Programs. Your state vocational rehabilitation department may provide accessibility modification assistance. These funds usually pay for the actual modifications rather than reimbursing the tenant.
- Fannie Mae Retrofitting Program. Often it is easier for homeowners to finance accessibility modifications because they are able to use their home as a source of equity in order to obtain a loan. Fannie Mae provides targeted loan packages that may be used by people with disabilities for accessibility modifications, such as the Retrofitting Mortgage, Community Living, and the HomeChoice programs. Fannie Mae’s Retrofitting Mortgage program combines a conventional first mortgage loan with a second mortgage that provides gap financing to allow for the cost of modifying a housing unit to meet the accessibility needs of a household member with a disability.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Title I and Section 203K program: Provides funding to homeowners through local lenders to rehabilitate existing homes or purchase and modify new homes.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. A major program for assisting low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities to rent decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the community. Vouchers are commonly referred to as tenant-based rental subsidies because they are provided to eligible applicants to use in private market rental housing of their choice that meets the Section 8 HCV program requirements. Once a rental unit is selected and approved, the Section 8 HCV program applicant (who then becomes a Section 8 HCV participant) pays a limited percentage of his or her income (generally 30 to 40 percent) as rent, with the balance of the rent being paid to the owner through the voucher program.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Community Development (formerly the Farmers Home Administration): Offers various grants and loans for low-income people living in rural communities, particularly to low-income homeowners with disabilities needing modifications to their homes.
There are programs that offer accessible home listings such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and some realtors offer listings and searches for accessible homes. Persons with disabilities in need of accessible apartments can call the National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse NAAC's toll-free number message center @ 1-800-421-1221 or email at: clearinghouse@naahq.org. Each request should detail what special features are needed and what city and state is desired. Requests should include the prospective residents complete name, phone and fax numbers (where available), complete mailing address, and email address (where available).
Sources for more information
(Please note: these links will leave Community Access Washington site.)
Informed Consumer's Guide to Accessible Housing. Examines what accessible housing is, discusses the types of products available to achieve accessibility, and offers resources to assist in this endeavor.
http://www.abledata.com/text2/icg_hous.htm
Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC). A national organization that works to achieve positive outcomes on behalf of people with disabilities or other special needs by providing state-of-the-art information, capacity building, and technical expertise to organizations and policymakers in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, human services, and affordable housing.
http://www.tacinc.org/
The Disability Resources Monthly Guide to Disability Resources on the Internet. Disseminates information about books, pamphlets, magazines, newsletters, videos, databases, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, telephone hotlines and on-line services that provide free, inexpensive or hard-to-find information to help people with disabilities live independently.
http://www.disabilityresources.org/HOUSING.html
Guide to Buying a Home for People with Disabilities: Accessible Homes and Accessible Home Modifications. The purpose of this guide is to provide information for people with disabilities who are 18 to 59 years of age, and does not necessarily offer information specifically for the elderly.
http://www.new-horizons.org/gdbhac.html
National Accessible Apartment Clearinghouse (NAAC). National database of accessible apartments, with a registration of more than 46,000 units, covering more than 155 major metropolitan cities and areas. There is no charge to property owners listing their units or to individual callers inquiring about available accessible units.
http://www.forrent.com/naac/
Homes and Communities, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Contains information from all parts of HUD's web site pertaining to housing for people with disabilities:
http://www.hud.gov/groups/disabilities.cfm
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