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Be Universally Accessible
Universally accessible housing is housing designed to be usable, safe,
and acceptable to people of a broad range of ages, needs, and abilities.
Universally designed buildings and outdoor spaces benefit all residents
and their visitors - children, adults, and seniors - regardless of their
stature and level of mental or physical ability or disability. Universal
accessibility includes: entrances that are free of steps; hallways, doorways,
and clear floor spaces that are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair;
lever door and window handles for ease of use; slip-resistant flooring;
work surfaces with variable or adaptable height; and multi-sensory controls,
switches, and way-finding devices like signage.
Mandatory requirements that vary widely by locale regulate accessible
housing. Examples of such codes and regulations are contained in the Department
of Housing and Urban Development's Program 202 and 811, Section 504, and
the Fair Housing Amendments Act. They also are found in standards such
as the American National Standards Institute A117.1 (ANSI A117.1 - 1986,
1992), the Uniform Accessibility Standards (UFAS), and the ADA Standards
for Accessible Design (1991). Advocates for universal design, however,
call for design strategies that go beyond the minimum legal requirements
of accessibility codes and regulations. While it is virtually impossible
to design "all things for all people," universally designed products,
buildings, places, and communities embody inclusivity by taking into account
the needs and well being of as many different users as possible.
Link to resources
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