The housing element of the Rudd government's stimulus package currently being considered includes building 20,000 new homes for social housing. This would make an enormous contribution to the government’s aim of halving homelessness by 2020. However, this is also an ideal opportunity to ensure that the new housing built is designed for people with all abilities and to suit our ageing population.
The design of most of Australia’s housing makes it inappropriate for many people. Families with children in prams, people with a temporary or permanent injury or a chronic illness are inconvenienced by narrow doorways, curved staircases and steps to the entrance of the house. Building houses with some simple universal design features makes them liveable for everyone, regardless of age, family needs, or the changes a person may experience during their lifetime. It also means that they are visitable by everyone, regardless of age or ability (Australian Network for Universal Housing Design).
While there is already considerable unmet need for universal housing, universal design makes economic sense because of Australia's ageing population. Many of these people will acquire some sort of mobility impairment, as the likelihood of these increases with age. Most will want to live independently in their own homes, in their communities, for as long as possible.
Incorporating universal design into the proposed social housing will enable many people with disabilities to live in the community rather than in a segregated setting which is the predominant model in Australia. Ideally the Summer Foundation (Summer Foundation) would like to see accessible housing integrated into a medium-high density housing developments where people with disabilities make up a less than 15% percentage of the residents. This model would include a central 'hub' where six people share support in two 3-bedroom apartments or villas with 24-hour support. Dispersed throughout the development, within a radius of the larger configuration would be a further 6-8 one-bedroom units for people who are able to live more independently but would benefit from 24-hour on-call support. In addition to the individual units there could be one or two accessible two or three bedroom apartments to accommodate families where one or more family members have a disability or where people wish to share accommodation.
A key benefit is that this model would be able to cater for changing needs. A person with acquired brain injury may become more independent over time and choose to live in their own unit after a couple years of shared supported housing. People with degenerative conditions may start living on their own and eventually move to shared supported housing with a higher level of support in the same residential development.
My architect colleagues assure me that universal design does not need to be more expensive - just smarter.
