Vol. 7, No. 4 Fall 1999 |
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DATI Studies the "State" of Accessible Housing in Delaware
By the time this newsletter reaches you, DATI will have completed the project "Accessible Living for People with Disabilities: A Feasibility Study." The project was supported by the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council with matching funds from the Delaware Division of Mental Retardation and the University of Delaware.
Background on the Project
The need for a study emerged after years of discussion about the benefits of having an accessible home available for tours and demonstrations in The First State. While there is widespread agreement that having actual examples of accessible living spaces is useful for people interested in adapting their homes or building new ones, Delawareans have wide-ranging opinions about how best to accomplish this outcome. The recent study examined the needs statewide, studied various options for promoting access to examples of accessible living spaces, and explored the potential for making such options available in Delaware.
Who Was Involved?
Central to the activities of the project was the Accessible Housing Coalition, comprised of 37 individuals and agency representatives with an interest in accessibility issues. The group included representatives from:
- Architectural Accessibility Board
- Delaware Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
- Delaware Contractors Association
- Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council
- Delaware Division of Mental Retardation
- Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities
- Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired
- Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Delaware Housing Authority
- DE-MD Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Division of Management Services, DHSS
- Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore
- Independent Living, Inc.
- Independent Resources, Inc.
- National Homebuilders Association, Delaware Chapter
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Delaware Chapter
- PAIR-Disabilities Law Program
- Statewide Coalition on the Americans with Disabilities Act
- State Council for Persons with Disabilities
- The Arc
- United Cerebral Palsy
plus individuals with disabilities, accessibility equipment manufacturers, parents of children with disabilities, and human services consultants.
This stakeholder group met numerous times to determine the needs in Delaware, examine existing approaches to accessible housing, examine barriers to affordable accessible living, and determine those approaches that are most likely to benefit Delawareans with disabilities.
Other Project Activities
The project also sponsored a two-day institute, "Home Modifications: Skills, Approaches, and TeamWork." It was held in June at DelTech's Stanton Campus. Nationally-known trainers were brought in from the Center for Universal Design in North Carolina. As a result of this workshop, participants were able to:
- Work with individuals and families to generate affordable and appropriate modifications and product recommendations;
- Generate solutions to accessibility challenges in conjunction with contractors or designers; and
- Understand the benefits of universal design.
What's Ahead?
The project culminated in the development of an action plan and the finalization of a report detailing key issues and remaining challenges. The final meeting of the Accessible Housing Coalition was devoted to the generation of recommended strategies for promoting accessible living through model demonstration projects, a focus on awareness, and removal of barriers to funding.
The Accessible Housing Project Website Has LOTS of Home Modification Information Resources! Check it out at http://www.asel.udel.edu/dati/housing
DATI Studies the "State" of Accessible Housing in Delaware
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