ANCOR Joins Coalition Letter Supporting Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act of 2018

As part of its work with the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), ANCOR signed onto a letter to Congress with 15 other organizations expressing support for a bill requiring newly constructed single-family houses and townhouses that are built with federal assistance to include a minimum standard of visitability. Titled the Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act of 2018, the bill was introduced by U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL).

The letter ANCOR signed onto states:

“People with disabilities should be able to visit friends, family, and coworkers without worrying that architectural barriers will exclude them from this important aspect of everyday life. Visitability is a design concept that allows people with disabilities to be a part of their neighborhoods and communities by integrating a minimum level of accessibility in housing units that are not covered by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Although some communities have adopted laws that fill this gap by requiring visitability, the majority of newly constructed single-family houses and townhouses are not covered. Action is needed at the federal level to increase the number of visitable housing units.

The Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act will significantly benefit people with disabilities across the United States. We commend your leadership in pursuing visitability legislation to advance the civil rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.”