June, 2006
I just returned from a trip to Washington D.C. to attend the annual conference for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). I took the opportunity to do some sightseeing during a break from the workshops. I really wanted to see the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. I know...I know...I'm a little strange...but what can I say, it's probably something that only another Political Science major would understand.
I made my way to the National Archives, and after waiting very impatiently behind a Canadian high school class, I had finally come to the front of the line. Just as the crowd in front of me moved forward, I looked down to see my worst nightmare,...there were steps up to the viewing area with no railing in sight. Most of you probably don't know that I don't ever use stairs. Actually, I hate them. I have cerebral palsy, which makes it very difficult to balance, especially on stairs. I can sometimes do a few steps with rail, but steps without a rail...forget it.
As I stood there considering my options and cursing my legs, a tour guide approached and asked me if I needed some assistance. I was finally able to ask if there was an accessible entrance to the viewing area. He happily guided me to the entrance around the back. It was a good thing he did too because I could never have found it on my own. I felt anything but equal after making that trek.
I realize of course, that I'm not who the founding fathers had in mind when they thought about equality for all and drafted the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. After all, I'm a woman and more than that I'm a woman with a disability. In the past, equality was only meant for men, more specifically, white men of wealth and privilege. I'm so thankful that just as our society has changed, our ideas about who deserves equality and access have also changed.
The Inclusive Home Design Act (IDHA), otherwise known as HR 1441, a bill currently in the House of Representatives is just one example of our society's realization that one size does not fit all, everyone cannot just take the stairs and people should not be isolated simply because of architectural barriers. OK...I'll get off my soapbox, and yes.. I'll use a ramp, not the stairs.
The IDHA would require that all federally funded new single-family homes have a basic level of architectural access on the ground floor. What does the bill define as a basic level of architectural access? Well, it can be defined as including each of the following features;
At least one zero-step entrance on an accessible route at the front, side or back of the home, or through an attached garage-wherever is most feasible given the terrain. A zero-step entrance is just like it sounds, an entrance with zero or no steps.
- All interior passage doors on the main floor of the home providing a minimum of 32 inches of clear passage space.
- A useable bathroom with at least a toilet and sink on the main level.
- Blocking in bathroom walls for the later installation of grab bars, if and when they are needed.
- Electrical and climate controls such as light switches, sockets and thermostats located at reachable heights.