LIVESMART DESIGN
Thoughtful Design for Living Environments
What is Universal Design?
Universal Design encompasses a wide spectrum of ideas to make buildings, products, and the built environment accessible and usable by everyone regardless of their size, age or ability.
In terms of housing and community development, Universal Design means incorporating key features within a home and connecting the house to the larger community through sidewalks, transportation networks, and essential services to make it possible for everyone in the community to live a meaningful and healthy life.
Why Care About Universal Design?
Communities built with Universal Design in mind encourage healthy and inclusive living by:
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Promoting social cohesion among people of all ability levels as they visit one another in each other's home;
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Encouraging communication and activities across generations, as family members live together and neighbors of all ages interact;
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supporting living arrangements that meet the specific needs of residents with disabilities or physical limitations, and allow people to adapt to unexpected life changes; and,
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Allowing older adults to age-in-place and remain a vital part of their community, surrounded by their friends, family and neighbors.
Multiple generations in a community promotes growth, involvement and independence for everyone.
Implementing Universal Design in the Home
Public and Private Partnerships can:
Support home modifications and maintenance programs.
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Expedite permitting review for easier home modifications.
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Certify contractors specializing in aging-in-place and disability up-fits.
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Allocate resources from housing trust funds to subsidize home modification and maintenance for income eligible residents.
Revisit zoning policies.
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Encourage a mix of housing types and affordability to accommodate a diverse population.
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Promote accessory dwelling units--small self-contained residential units on the property of an existing home.
Adopt an Inclusive home design ordnance.
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Mandate that accessibility be built into all new single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes with a zero-step entry, accessible first floor bathroom and wide door openings.
Promoting Universal Design In the Community
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Learn more about Universal Design and share what you know with friends, family and neighbors.
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Incorporate Universal Design features within your existing home or while building a new one.
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Join committees within your community to provide input on decisions around housing, aging-in-place, community development, parts, transportation, greenways, etc.
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Raise awareness of the need for Universal Design by writing letters to the newspaper editor, blogging or speaking to interested groups.
For more information on Universal Design, go to:
Universal Design Institute
Concrete Change
Lifetime Communities