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Virginia State Legislative Issues 
Inclusive Home Design Act Introduced
For Immediate Release:
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago applauds the introduction of
new federal legislation called the Inclusive Home Design Act (IHDA).
The new legislation, introduced on March 10 by U.S. Representative
Jan Schakowsky, will dramatically increase the number of homes
accessible to people with disabilities.
The Inclusive Home Design Act aims to increase the number of homes
accessible to people with disabilities by applying visitability
standards. The principle of visitability seeks to create homes that
are affordable and sustainable, and utilize a design approach that
integrates accessibility features into newly-built homes.
The legislation intends to reverse a national trend that locks
people with disabilities out of the housing market. Currently, 95
percent of new single-family homes and townhouses built with federal
assistance fail to incorporate accessibility features, making it
impossible for many people with disabilities to live in or visit the
homes. "Whether you have a disability or you don't have a
disability, everyone needs and everyone has a right to housing,"
said Beto Barrera, Access Living's Housing Team Leader. "Because we
continue to build inaccessible housing in this country, housing
options for people with disabilities are severely limited."
The Inclusive Home Design Act would require that all newly-built
single-family homes and townhouses receiving federal funds meet four
specific standards:
" Include at least one accessible ("zero step") entrance into the
home
" Ensure all doorways on the main floor have a minimum of 32 inches
of clear passage space
" Build at least one wheelchair accessible bathroom on the main
floor
" Place electrical and climate controls (such as light switches and
thermostats) at heights reachable from a wheelchair
"We applaud the Schakowsky for building support around, and
introducing the Inclusive Home Design Act," Barrera went on. "With
this new legislation, the housing market for people with
disabilities will open up dramatically. Not only will we recognize
the right of people with disabilities to pursue housing
opportunities on a more level playing field, we will save thousands
of dollars in renovation and retrofitting costs."
The legislation applies only to new construction. The average added
cost per home for the required features runs from $98 to $573.
Adding accessible features after construction often costs several
thousand dollars.
Chicago's only center for independent living, Access Living is a
cross-disability organization, nationally recognized as a leader in
the field of independent living and a premier local provider of
services for people with disabilities.
For more information contact Gary Arnold at Access Living,
312-640-2199 (voice), 312-640-2102 (TTY).
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