3 While the While 5 of new homes, nor few basic features efer to stay in their physical abilities. But because of this limited of this limited But because 4 AARP Public Policy Institute Policy Public AARP homes of many older adults have some of many older adults have some homes Visitability Visitability 1987 in Visitability, a concept formalized Change, by the advocacy group Concrete new is based on the principle that all should include a homes accessible to people them that make regardless of their be Unlike universal design, which can applied to a variety of products and is the notion of visitability environments, focused exclusively on housing. is that has a main level home A visitable three key and exit. The easy to enter entrance; features are at least one zero-step wide interior doors; and at least a half main level. on a home’s bathroom its Advocates for visitability have limited of because three features focus to these of extensive list a more concerns that not be as readily adopted by features may purchasers builders and as feasible for legislative and code requirements. not be as may focus, a visitable home incorporates accommodating as one that more comprehensive universal design elements. Are Universal Design and Why Important? Visitability 90 According to an AARP survey, almost percent of adults 50+ pr as long as possible. homes Rather than Rather than 2 closely related, ople, including those Within a residential a residential Within 1 blended step-free

being geared solely to older adults and people with disabilities, universal design features are intended to have general appeal. utility and market setting, examples of universal design features include a countertop multiple route, entrance heights, wide doorways, lever faucets, and a curbless shower with handheld head. adjustable shower universal design and visitability differ in differ and visitability design universal their origins and scope. Universal design to is an approach Universal design to be designing products and environments appropriate for all pe with physical, cognitive, or sensory in the This concept emerged impairments. for and is defined by the Center mid-1980s as “the design of Universal Design to be usable by products and environments all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.” design and visitability features can improve residential safety and usability for and usability residential safety features can improve design and visitability with people older adults and disabilities. Universal Design and Visitability Defined are and visitability Universal design the safety at improving strategies aimed housing for all people, and utility of with including older adults and people disabilities. Although Expanding Implementation of Universal Design and Design and Implementation of Universal Expanding Stock Features in the Housing Visitability abilities may face environmental their physical As adults age and change, they challenge. Universal a their home that make living independently impediments in Fact Sheet Universal Design and Visitability accessibility features, a great number lack buildings without an elevator to meet any features that make a home universally accessibility standards.8, 9 Policies that designed or even visitable. encourage the adoption of universal design features and visitability criteria can ensure Homes that lack important ease of use and that homes not covered by existing federal convenience features may make it difficult law are accessible to people of all physical for older residents to bathe, use stairs, abilities. It is especially important to enter and exit, or meet other daily needs. incorporate these features into new Such barriers may precipitate an unwanted residential developments, because or premature move to an assisted living modifying existing homes is typically facility or to an institutionalized setting, more expensive.10 which can limit independence and be emotionally taxing and financially Strategies to Promote Universal burdensome. Through home modifications Design Features and Visitability (i.e., custom remodeling for a specific Criteria resident’s needs) or the adoption of improved standards in new home With the exception of homes covered construction, universal design and under the federal laws described above, visitability features can enhance few residential building codes and functionality, independence, and safety for ordinances address accessibility issues. everyone. These features thus enable older Several different mandatory and voluntary adults to age in place and allow people approaches to promoting the inclusion of with disabilities to remain involved in universal design and visitability features in family and community life. new and existing homes are discussed below. It should be noted that little Several federal laws require that certain research into the relative effectiveness of residential settings meet a set of these programs has been conducted to accessibility requirements. The date, although some housing practitioners Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 and advocates favor mandatory mandates that any facility designed, built, requirements as a way to increase the altered, or leased with federal funds, adoption of universal design and including federally subsidized housing, visitability features in homes. must meet accessibility criteria outlined in what are now the Uniform Federal Mandatory Universal Design or Visitability Accessibility Standards (UFAS).6 Requirements Federally subsidized housing must also At the federal level, there is the potential meet the accessibility requirements of to implement policies that require Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of visitability or universal design criteria in 1973. Additionally, the Fair Housing Act new homes. In March 2009, the Inclusive requires that any residential building with Home Design Act was introduced in four or more units constructed after 1991 Congress. The bill proposes to increase the must meet seven design and construction number of homes usable by people with criteria, including accessible entrances and disabilities by requiring that all newly common areas and wide doors and 7 built single-family homes and townhouses hallways. receiving federal funds meet primary 11 As important as they are, these laws do not visitability standards. generally require single-family homes Several states and localities already (which make up more than 70 percent of require that homes not covered by the Fair the nation’s housing stock), duplexes, Housing Act meet a set of universal design triplexes, or multistory townhouse or visitability criteria. As with the 2 Universal Design and Visitability proposed federal legislation, most incentive-based programs are not readily mandatory requirements are limited to adopted by consumers or developers and residential projects built with government thus do not significantly increase the stock assistance. For example, the cities of of homes that are safe and convenient for Atlanta, Austin, and San Antonio adopted all people. visitability ordinances for newly built single-family homes and duplexes that Recognizing that accessibility receive tax credits, city loans, land grants, improvements can be expensive, some or impact fee waivers. Each of these cities states designate tax credits or create has produced several thousand houses that deferred loan programs to assist with comply with their requirements.12 home modifications for existing homes. In Georgia, for example, a tax credit of $500 A few states and localities mandate that is available to people with disabilities to universal design or visitability features be cover the costs of a no-step entrance, wide included even in newly built homes that do doorways, reinforced bathroom walls, and not benefit from government assistance. accessible light switches in the Pima County and Tucson, Arizona, and construction of new single-family Bolingbrook, Illinois, require that all new homes.14 single-family homes meet basic visitability criteria, and these cities have produced a At the local level, jurisdictions can waive total of nearly 30,000 visitable units since construction permit fees or streamline the enacting their respective laws.13 permitting process for homes with accessibility features, helping to reduce States and localities can also mandate that overall building costs. For example, in builders offer universal design features as 1999, officials in Freehold Borough, New options in new homes. As part of Jersey, passed an ordinance to waive California’s Health and Safety Code, building permit fees for ramps and other builders must provide a checklist of universal design features in residential universal design “add-on options” to units.15 In Austin, the S.M.A.R.T. Housing potential homebuyers, enabling buyers to Initiative uses expedited review and fee choose accessibility features for their waivers to incentivize the production of home. Although this policy is not thought single-family and multifamily affordable to have had a particularly significant homes. To participate in the S.M.A.R.T impact in California, requiring builders to program, builders and developers must offer universal design features to buyers, build homes that meet visitability criteria and monitoring compliance, does allow put in place by an Austin ordinance consumers to directly influence the enacted in 1998.16 accessibility of their new home as it is being built. Voluntary certificate programs are another incentive-based approach that “brands” Voluntary and Incentive-Based Programs homes meeting accessibility standards under a recognizable label, marketing Some states and localities have developed them for prospective homebuyers or voluntary programs to encourage tenants. For example, Johnson County, developers or homeowners to adopt Iowa, operates the Homes for Life universal design features and visitability program, a two-tiered certification criteria in homes. These programs often program that rates homes as either “Level offer financial incentives, building I - Visit-ability” or “Level II - Live- certification, streamlined permitting, or fee ability,” depending on which accessibility waivers to those who participate. Yet some features are incorporated into home housing advocates express concern that construction.17 Such certificate programs

3 Universal Design and Visitability could benefit from coordinated outreach and education efforts to increase 12 Maisel, Jordana, et al. Increasing Home Access. awareness of the advantages associated 13 with accessibility features in homes. Ibid. 14 Kochera, Andrew. Accessibility and Visitability Features in Single-Family Homes: A Review of Fact Sheet 167, March 2010 State and Local Activity. Washington, DC: AARP, March 2002. Written by Emily Salomon, research associate 15 Ibid. at the Center for Housing Policy. AARP Public Policy Institute, 16 Maisel, Jordana, et al. Increasing Home Access. 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049 17 Johnson County Livable Community for www.aarp.org/ppi Successful Aging Initiative and Greater Iowa City 202-434-3890, [email protected] Area Home Builders Association. Homes for Life: © 2010, AARP. A Voluntary Universal Design Certification Program. Iowa City, IA: Fall 2008. Reprinting with permission only.

1 Center for Universal Design. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2009, from http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/. 2 AARP Public Policy Institute. Beyond 50.05: A Report to the Nation on Livable Communities. Washington, DC: AARP, 2005. 3 Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access. “What Is Visitability?” Retrieved Sept. 14, 2009, from www.udeworld.com. 4 AARP Public Policy Institute. Beyond 50.05. A Report to the Nation on Livable Communities. 5 AARP Public Policy Institute. State of 50+ America. Washington, DC: AARP, 2006. 6 United States Access Board. Retrieved Sept. 28, 2009, from www.access-board.gov/about/ laws/aba.htm. 7 Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST. Retrieved Sept. 4, 2009, from www.fairhousingfirst.org. 8 Maisel, Jordana, Eleanor Smith, and Edward Steinfeld. Increasing Home Access: Designing for Visitability. Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, August 2008. 9 See www.fairhousingfirst.org for more information on the types of buildings covered by the Fair Housing Act. 10 Maisel, Jordana, et al. Increasing Home Access. 11 GovTrack.us (database of federal legislation), 2009. “H.R. 1408—111th Congress: Inclusive Home Design Act of 2009.” Retrieved Nov 9, 2009, from www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd? bill=h111-1408.

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