How might SD lead the Nation in Housing?
For decades, disability and aging in place advocates having been sounding the alarm about the design issues in the current stock of homes. Concepts like barrier-free, visitable, and universal design have all been lifted up as solutions to fix housing so that it’s appropriate for people with disabilities and older adults. Examples like Bolingbrook, Illinois Visitability Code (Source: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&context=spnareview) are available. Yet, implementation of these solutions does not occur on a large scale.
While affordable housing is where considerable attention is focused, a home modification crisis is approaching. The only way to get in front of this crisis is to stop the construction of inaccessible units. With the pace of the housing industry, professionals need a simple solution that can be implemented with relative ease. It’s important to understand that ease does not mean cost free. This blog will not discuss the costs. To learn about costs, please visit the South Dakota State University Extension Website: https://extension.sdstate.edu/how-much-does-adaptable-home-cost-adaptable-home-certification.
The Adaptable Home Certification was created to be a communication and educational tool to help both consumers and industry professionals understand four structural features that allow individual units to be adaptable to the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.
I have been a professional working in the field of gerontology for 10 years. Like other aging advocates, I have been working to raise awareness about the role home design plays in the outcomes of older adults and people with disabilities. It has been difficult to get tractions. I knew there had to be a strategy to simplify what I am asking building professionals to change about housing.
My professional experience has taught me that the most costly and unattainable renovations for older adults and people with disabilities are bathrooms and no-step entrances. Sometimes it’s the costs that puts the renovation out of reach. At other times, it is the structure of the home that does not allow for bathroom or no-step renovations, such as a split-foyer entrance or absence of space to expand the bathroom.
In addition to the bathroom and the entrance, doors and halls need to be done differently. Narrow doors, halls, and stairways should become a thing of the past. Doors and hall width are critical to creating accessible routes in housing units. The final features of an Adaptable Home is a bedroom (or room that could be used for sleeping) on the same level as the no-step entrance.
I began talking to professionals about a no-step entrance, bedroom on the entry level, wide halls and doors, and an accessible bathroom and how they would provide the bones to make housing unit adaptable to the needs of people with disabilities and older adults. I was asked what authority I had to speak on topics related to home design. I knew that I would have to get help to explain the technical implementation of the adaptable home concept.
I reached out to Gene Fennell, Fennell Design Inc. and explained the Adaptable Home Certification to him. He agreed to help write the technical specifications to explain key features of the concept, particularly the bathroom. He also expanded on the content to help readers understand the universal design thought process. For example, Gene highlighted the importance of an accessible route between parking and the no-step or adaptable entrance.
The ultimate goal is provide practical advice to aid consumers and industry professionals. As you review the materials, I believe you will find the content engaging and applicable. We plan to expand the content by adding a FAQ page, as well as another page that describes add-on features that could incorporated into an Adaptable Home Certification Star System. For example, the inclusion of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) might be a 5-Star Adaptable Home. The reason for this would be is because the ADU could serve as an in-law suite, apartment for adult child, home office space, or a rental unit. Ultimately, increasing the flexibility of this unit for the occupants.
You have the opportunity to add content to the Adaptable Home Certification Series. I am seeking volunteers to draft Adaptable Home Plans. My goal would be to make these plans available for free on the South Dakota State University Extension website. This would be a valuable resource for South Dakotans looking to build their own Adaptable Home, but unable to afford the expense of hiring an architect. If you would like to learn more, please contact me by email. You may also contact me if you have questions or feedback about the Adaptable Home Certification materials.
The Adaptable Home Certification is how South Dakota might lead the nation in housing. Successful implementation of the concept will show in the market place. How much are consumers willing to pay? Are they willing to pay more for an adaptable home? If they are, that would be an amazing 21st century innovation in home design and it will have originated in South Dakota.
For more information:
Leacey E. Brown, MS (contact Author)
Gerontology Field Specialist
South Dakota State University Extension
(605) 394-1722
Leacey.Brown@SDstate.edu
Adaptable Home Certification Overview: https://extension.sdstate.edu/adaptable-home-certification-overview