Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Americans with Disabilities Act - Title III

[Grace Kim (grace]

Are we all ignoring the fact that we are aging each day and that inevitably we 
may need these "public accomodations" for ourselves?  Even if you don't 
currently have member in a wheelchair, it's quite easy to imagine that even a 
young member could have a serious accident resulting in temporary wheel chair 
usage. Or what about the family with young children who lives on the 3rd floor 
of an unelevatored building...how can they get their stroller and groceries up 
those steps?  Wouldn't it be better to consider that ADA might allow all of us 
to live more graciously in our communities?

As a long-time proponent for Universal Design, I would encourage everyone to 
stop thinking about ADA as a requirement to avoid or "get around" and consider 
it a minimum threshold of what we should consider planning for so that we can 
all age in place gracefully and not be forced out of our precious community 
when we can no longer navigate the porch stoops that we lovingly incorporated 
to enhance our sense of community.

Codes and regulations (like ADA) are in place to protect the health, safety, 
welfare of the public....regardless of our abilities.


grace h. kim | schemata workshop inc.
aia, principal architect

206.285.1589
www.schemataworkshop.com