[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 137 (Thursday, October 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1915-E1916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE INCLUSIVE HOME DESIGN ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 16, 2002

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that today I 
introduced the Inclusive Home Design Act. This legislation will greatly 
increase the number of homes that are accessible to people with 
disabilities. The legislation requires all newly-built single family 
homes receiving federal funds to meet three specific accessibility 
standards: an accessible route, or ``zero step,'' into the home, 32'' 
clearance doorways on the main level, and one wheel chair accessible 
bathroom.
  It defies logic to build new homes that block people out when it's so 
easy and cheap to build new homes that let people in. Many states and 
localities have already incorporated visitability standards. This list 
includes Naperville, Bollingbrook, and Champagne, Illinois, Atlanta, 
Vermont, Texas, Kansas, Arizona and others. Also the United Kingdom 
passed a law in March 1998 mandating that every new home become 
accessible. A federal law will build on the momentum that has already 
been created.
  The proposed legislation is based on the concept of Visitability, an 
affordable, sustainable and inclusive design approach for integrating 
basic accessibility features into all newly built homes and housing. 
While serving as a member of the Illinois State House I introduced 
similar legislation.
  When homes are accessible, it benefits not only today's disability 
community, but also all of us who are friends and family members of 
people with disabilities. Often, the prohibitive cost of making an 
existing home accessible deprives seniors of their independence and 
pushes them into nursing homes. It can cost several thousand dollars 
for someone to retrofit their home. However, on average it only costs 
$300 to add visitability features into a new home.
  By making new homes accessible, we guarantee that many seniors can 
age at home. As

[[Page E1916]]

the population becomes older this will become more important. Fifty-
eight percent of people over eighty-years-old suffer from physical 
impairments. This legislation will allow people to age in place. In 
2000 there were 30.5 million people between 65-84 years old. This 
number will grow to 47 million by 2020. Today over 4.3 million are over 
85 by 2020 this number is projected to grow to 6.8 million. Fifty eight 
percent of people over eighty years old are physically impaired.
  Homes that meet visitability standards are essential for people with 
disabilities, and sensible because 3 out of 10 people will face a 
disability before they are 67, and practical if you want to invite a 
friend or a family member over for dinner who is disabled. I am looking 
forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation, the 
Inclusive Home Design Act into law.

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