Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Universal Design means UNIVERSAL design

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 6/26/2003 11:50 AM, "Fred H Olson" <fholson [at] cohousing.org> wrote:

> As far as I know, there is no co-housing community that is designed using
> universal design as  defined above.  Anyone know of one?

Problem -- bulletin boards. If they are placed low enough for wheeled people
to read them, the toddlers have access to thumbtacks.

All our members are on email so the bulletin boards are not necessary for
communications.

We have made accommodations at the mailboxes for wheeled people (they have
low mailboxes) but it is difficult. The boxes themselves can be low but then
we have cubbies (also low) and packages. We have a lot of packages
delivered. Right now they are filling up the ledge over the mailboxes and
the floor under them and sitting in the hallway -- which blocks access.

If all the boxes were low enough for children, we would have to use the
whole side of a room. And if things get any lower, we will start having to
subsidize back braces for anyone over 5'6". Bending over and stooping is not
easy for those who are not as limber as we once were.

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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