The Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit Building Today’s Home for Charlottesville Future

The Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit (LHTC) The Design for Life Cville guidelines for visit program is designed to improve accessibility -ability and live-ability incorporate design and universal design in Virginia’s residential features such as a no step entrance, making units by providing state tax credits for the it easier and safer to bring in a baby purchase of new units or the retrofitting of stroller, move in large furniture, existing housing units. To qualify for the tax accommodate a person living with a credit, a new home must include at least three DESIGN temporary or permanent disability, universal design features, and a retrofitted accommodate friends or relatives who have existing home must include at least one FOR LIFE mobility limitations, and ultimately will universal design feature: help people age in place.  Accessible route to a zero-step entrance C VILL E into the residence  Zero-step entrance into the residence  Doors with at least 32 inches of clear width  Hallways and passages with at least 36 CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE Neighborhood Development Services inches of clear width PO Box 911 | 610 E Market St Charlottesville, VA 22902  Accessible light switches, electrical outlets

and environmental controls Phone: (434) 970-3182  Accessible bathroom Fax: (434) 970-3359  Accessible and useable kitchen facilities Virginia Relay 7-1-1

For full instructions and the application form, www.charlottesville.org/nds visit Virginia Department of Housing and Com- munity Development’s website at: http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/ housingpreservationrehabilitation/ Tax_credit_program.htm (Livable for a Lifetime, 2011) A Great Place to Live for All our Citizens

Unique Features of the Design for Life Level 1: Visit-Ability Cville Program

A Visit-Able home has three basic design

elements: One program with two optional standards of At least one no-step entry located at any accessibility.

door, deck, or through a garage Voluntary. connected to an accessible route to a Targets new construction and renovation of place to visit on that level or other level Build or Renovate Your Home… existing homes. by way of an elevating device. for All Ages and Stages of Life Successful informal partnership of City, 32 inch or 2' x 10" nominal clear width building/business community and Design for Life Cville is the first voluntary interior doors on the Visit-Able level. advocates. certification program in Virginia for Visit- An accessible powder room or bathroom Administered by the City as part of the Ability and Live-Ability in single family on the Visit-Able level. regular permitting process, not a special attached and detached homes located in process. Level 2: Live-Ability the City of Charlottesville. Its guidelines Upon certification city will refund 25% of A Live-Able home has: apply to both new construction and permit fees for visit-ability or 50% of permit renovation of existing homes. Whether  The three basic design features of a Visit fees for live-ability. you are a first time homebuyer, young -Able home, and: City Zoning Text Amendment provides by family, career professional, active adult, At least one bedroom, full bath, and right the use of setback areas for access as or person living with a temporary or kitchen with a circulation path that an element of the full program. permanent disability, your home will be connects the rooms to an accessible enhanced by these additional design entrance on the Visit-Able level. features which will meet your needs throughout your life.

No-step front door entrance. Accessible kitchen in a townhome.