Barrier Free Design

BARRIER FREE HOUSING—LIVING WELL

Have you considered ways in which you can potentially increase your profits by 30%?

Do you want to develop a niche market?

Why target real estate professionals?
Changing housing needs
Potential to develop a niche market
Features of a barrier free home
Top 5 barrier free features
Who benefits?
Further reading—Web Links
Further reading—Bibliography

Real Estate Agents and Property Managers need with the knowledge and ability to determine the level of accessibility of a property for rent or purchase.

Social, attitudinal and physical barriers in the community can be modified to enhance the functional capacity of a person, with or without a disability. The key areas to address are:

1. Knowing your Community – Demystifying negative social attitudes within the community and industry to ensure inclusion of all people specifically people with disabilities and older Australians.
2. Understanding the features of barrier free housing and living well – How to identify and market barrier free housing within the common market place.

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Why target real estate professionals?

• There is a growing market for more accessible housing with Australia’s ageing ‘Baby Boomer’ population and people with disabilities.
• To improve customer relations with all sectors of the community.
• Enhance market share as real estate professionals are potentially reducing the business profits by 30% from the outset from choosing not to service all sectors of the community.

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Changing housing needs

People grow older, families change and children come and go. The home environment should be able to respond to the changing needs of people over time.

People with a disability, families with children or relatives with a disability and older people represent a significant market for more accessible housing.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2001) found that 19 % of the NSW population (1.2 million people or 1 in 5 people) has a disability.

The most reported area of disability is physical condition(85%) (Arthritis, heart disease, or asthma), which is the most restricting long term health condition.

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Potential to develop a niche market

92% of people with a disability live in a private dwelling, 8% live in a non-private dwelling (ABS, Disability NSW 2001).

This is reflected in a recent consumer survey where 86% of 400 respondents considered themselves to have a disability—mostly physical/mobility limitations.

Seventy-seven percent live in single house dwelling and 41% are home owners without a mortgage. And 23% are home owners with a mortgage. All are potential consumers in the private housing market.

Real estate agents have the opportunity to develop a niche market and target consumers more effectively by promoting an understanding of barrier free, accessible properties.

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Features of a barrier free home

Since the 1950’s, most Australian homes were built for two parent families with two or more children. Bathrooms and kitchens are usually small with narrow doorways, making access difficult and expensive to adapt and people are often forced to relocate to meet their changing needs.

The ageing population and the changing structure of the Australian family, nature of work, education and entertainment means that 21st century housing should be able to adapt to the needs of people at every stage of life.

A home which has accessible and adaptable interior design and features allows for changes as required. This enables people to stay within the familiarity and comfort of their home and surrounding area.

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Top 5 barrier free features

The main principles of barrier free design are:

• Barrier free housing design is good design for everyone.
• Continuation of existing community and family networks.
• Suitability for people with any level of ability.

1. Bathroom/ toilet  & bedroom on the entrance level.
2. Living room located on the entrance level.
3. At least 1 level entry into the house.
4. Sealed pathway from parking area to a home entrance.
5. Level or gently sloped approach to entrance.

‘Barrier free housing  features would make a home visitable by family and friends as well as provide ease of access’.

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Who benefits?

All people with a physical, visual or mobility impairment will be directly affected by increased accessibility to real estate in our community.

Anyone with a temporary disability, such as a broken leg.

Real Estate leaders and service providers who better serve their customers and demonstrate their commitment by promoting accessibility in their establishments.

Councils, Architects, contractors and building owners who can employ creative designs for accessibility

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Further reading—Web links

Specific Information on barrier free housing

• Housing for life: designed for everybody (Canberra, ACT: The Master Builders Association of the ACT, March 2001)—available free from the MBA
• Smart Housing: universal housing design (Queensland Department of Housing, QLD: Department of Housing, 2001)—available free from www.smarthousing.qld.gov.au
• The Adaptable House: design for lifestyle and the future (Australian Greenhouse Office, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia, 2003)—available free from www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/technical/fs64.htm
• An introduction to life time homes (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2003)—available from www.jrf.org.uk/housingandcare/lifetimehomes/default.asp
• Universal Design in Housing (Ronald Mace, US: The Center for Univesal Design, North Carolina, 1998)—available from www.adaptiveenvironments.org
• Flexhousing (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), Canada, 2003)—available from www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/imquaf/flho/index.cfm
• Accessible Design, Universal Design, Barrier Free House Plans (B4UBuild.com Plan Center, US, 2002)—available from www.b4ubuild.com/plans/accessible_design.shtml
• Housing Overview (Center for Universal Design, US, 1997)—available from www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/built_env/housing/overview_hous.htm
• Universal Design: Housing for the lifespan of all people (Ronald Mace, US: Center for Universal Design, 1997)—available from www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/pubs/center/books/lifespanhous.htm

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Advocacy groups for barrier free housing

• Physical Disabilities Council of NSW, Housing position statement (PDCNSW: PDCN, NSW 2003)—available free from www.pdcnsw.org.au/positions/housing.html
• ww.pdcnsw.org.au/docs/positions/housing.html
• Concrete Change: an international effort to make all homes visit-able (Concrete Change: Georgia USA, 1998)—information available from www.concretechange.org
• Accessible Housing Society Calgary (Accessible Housing Society Calgary: Canada, 2002)—information available from www.ahscalgary.ca/aboutus.html
• Barrier Free house designs—available from The old house web
• Barrier free homes: Lessons from the three little pigs—adapted from The Three Little Pigs - Sort Of! By Occupational Therapist Adrian Good. Submitted to the CAOT Seniors Health Promotion Project in 1991. Available from OTWorks
• Barrier free turtle homes—the ultimate rehabilitation to living enjoyment. Turtle homes corp., US, 2003. Available from www.turtlehomes.com

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Further Reading—Bibliography

• Housing for everyone: adaptable, accessible & barrier-free. Physical Disability Council of NSW: PDCN, December 2001. Brochure available from PDCN
• Australian Standard AS4299-1995: adaptable housing. Standards Australia, NSW: Standards Australia, 1995. Available form Standards Australia; tel 1300 65 46 46
• Australian Standard AS1428.1: design for access and mobility. Parts 1-4. Standards Australia, NSW: Standards Australia, 1995. Available form Standards Australia; tel 1300 65 46 46
• Welcome: design ideas for accessible homes. Building Commission Victoria: Building Commission Victoria, 2002. Available from the Building Commission
•  Training programs: Fairhousing Accessibility first—fair housing instruction, resources, support, technical guidance.  Bearing Point Inc., US, 2003. Available from www.fairhousingfirst.org/trainingprogram.asp
• Towards a common language for Functioning, Disability and Health—International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. World Health Organisation, Geneva, 2002. Available free from http://www3.who.int/icf/beginners/bg.pdf
• Anti-Discrimination Board of New South Wales—investigates and conciliates complaints of discrimination, harassment and vilification; anti discrimination legislation
• Discrimination and Renting—information for NSW Real Estate Agents.  Department of Fair Trading: Department of Fair Trading—NSW Consumer Protection Agency, 2000. Available free @ www.its-aust.com/Common/Discrimination_and_Renting.pdf
• Guide to Planning Bathrooms and Kitchens. Independent Living Centre NSW, 2003. Ph: 02 9808 2233
• Cash and cowboys: barriers for entry to private rental housing by disadvantaged consumers, Craig Johnston: NSW Council of Social Service, Surry Hills, NSW. 1999

Demographics

• Australian Social Trends 1999—Population projections: Our ageing population. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Commonwealth of Australia,1999.
• Disability, Ageing and Carers. Australian Bureau of Statistics: Commonwealth of Australia, 1998.
• Fact sheet 1 – An Ageing Australia. Aged and Community Services Australia, Melbourne, 2003.
• Austalian Housing Market—Statistical Update—June 2003. Spatial and Distributional Analysis Section, Department of Family and Community Services, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia, 2003.
• Budget 2003 -2004:Ageing 1 - Quality of Life for Older Australians. The Hon Kevin Andrews, Minister for Ageing: Commonwealth of Australia, 2003.
  

More Housing Information

• Depatment of Housing New South Wales
• Shelter NSW—community-based, statewide, peak housing body, which aims to advance the housing interests of low-income and disadvantaged people in New South Wales on a non-party-political basis.
• Real Estate Institute of New South Wales—the largest professional association for agents and other property professionals in Australia
• Australiasian Housing Information Network (AHIN)—coordinated and standardised housing information on a Regional, National, State and Territory basis
• Accesshousing.com—independent portal linking people with a disability with businesses such as real estate agents, travel agents, product distributors, employers and associations to assist people in retaining their independence and individuality