[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1168-E1169]
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

                         Thursday, June 5, 2003

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that today I am 
reintroducing the Inclusive Home Design Act. I want to thank my 
colleagues Barbara Lee and Louise Slaughter for joining me today as 
original cosponsors of this legislation. I hope that all of my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join us. I also want to 
thank my friend Marca Bristow of Access Living for her dedication and 
outstanding leadership. Finally, I want to offer my gratitude to all of 
the architects and community leaders who worked with me to craft this 
legislation. The Inclusive Home Design Act will greatly increase the 
number of homes that are accessible to people with disabilities. It is 
supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America and countless other 
national and local disabilities rights organizations.
  The Inclusive Home Design Act requires all newly-built single family 
homes receiving federal funds to meet three specific standards: an 
accessible route, or ``zero step,'' into the home, "32" clearance 
doorways on the main level, and one wheel chair accessible bathroom. 
These nationally mandated standards for homes built with federal 
dollars will close a major loophole in our current housing laws.
  Under current law, 95 percent of federally supported homes do not 
have to meet any accessibility standard. This creates unnecessary 
barriers for disabled veterans and other people with mobility 
impairments. 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 here and abroad.
  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. 
Architects and builders will have latitude in how they comply with the 
act. For example, the zero step entrance can be placed at the front, 
side, or back of the home. The accessible route can even go through an 
attached garage.
  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 generally costs thousands of dollars 
for a homeowner to retrofit their home. However, on average experts 
estimate that it only costs $300 to $400 to add visitability features 
into a new home. In addition, the zero step entrance requirements can 
be waived if the terrain makes compliance impractical.
  By making new homes accessible, we guarantee that many seniors can 
age at home instead of moving into expensive assisted living 
facilities. This will save taxpayer money and it will help improve the 
quality of life of our senior citizens. As the population becomes 
older, this will become more important. Fifty-eight percent of people 
over eighty years old suffer from physical impairments. 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 individuals are over 85. 
By 2020, this number is projected to grow to 6.8 million. There is no 
question that the Inclusive Home Design Act will enable many of our 
seniors to remain at home.
  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, practical, and cost effective. I am 
looking forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation, 
the Inclusive Home Design Act, into law.

[[Page E1169]]



                          ____________________