During KREIA's July 2020 virtual main meeting, Hope Leet Dittmeier of Mattingly Edge talked about the need for housing for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. She said that if the housing includes accessibility features, that's even better.

Hope described a Universal Design Toolkit document laying out levels of universal design — which takes into account the needs of everyone in the design and construction of housing. Considering that 26% of adults in the United States experience some sort of disability, according to this document, it's something we real estate investors should take into consideration as we build and remodel houses. And let's not forget that, as we age, many of us may one day be included in this segment of the population.

Universal design concerns the needs of people of all sizes, physical abilities and concentration levels. It addresses such things as no-step entrances, first-floor bathrooms (with grab bars), doorways wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs, lowered kitchen countertops, raised electrical outlets, and more.

Are you interested in incorporating accessibility features in your rehabs? Check out a copy of the Universal Design Toolkit document Hope emailed us — view the PDF here.