Author: Pavel Kuljuk
Published: 2025/03/30
Type of publication: Opinion piece, editorial
Issue: Housing disability – Publications list
Page content: Synopsis – Introduction – Major – Ideas, updates
Synopsis: The article examines the lack of accessible homes and proposes changes in construction codes to improve affordability and functionality for people with disabilities.
Why does it matter: This article explores the serious lack of affordable and accessible homes for people with disabilities and proposes a fundamental change in construction regulations to address the problem. The author argues that, instead of treating accessible housing as an expensive special project, all new constructions and renovations must be designed with friendly functions with disability by default. The article highlights the limitations of existing government aid, financial assistance programs and charity efforts, which have failed to close the gap between affordability and accessibility. To counteract potential costs of costs, the article suggests optimizing construction codes, such as reducing luxury characteristics as additional bathrooms, to balance expenses while making housing more functional. This perspective is especially relevant to political leaders, developers and defenders, as well as for older people and individuals with disabilities who struggle to find adequate living spaces, Disabled world (DW).
Introduction
Change construction codes at the beginning of «less luxury, but more useful functions» can be an effective solution for the problem.
Disabled people have big problems in the real estate market. (1) Although these problems are different, the cause of all problems is the same. Disabled people need to buy at low price which costs a lot. In other words, disabled people are a poor part of society that needs affordable real estate with special characteristics. (2) But special characteristics increase the cost of real estate. This creates an insurmountable problem. After all, Royce-Royce are not made for the poor!
Main article
Poor people cannot make expensive purchases. Any attempt to change this is condemned to failure. Even very large efforts give only limited success.
Look. The government pays close attention to the problems of people with disabilities in the real estate market. A special page has been created for this on the website of the Department of Urban Housing and Development of the United States (HUD). (3) Banks and other financial institutions are ready to provide loans to people with disabilities to buy housing in preferential terms. (4) People with disabilities can buy housing using Social Security Disability (SSDI) or Supplementary Security Income (SSI). In some cases, loans are issued to people with disabilities even without a credit rating and with a 15% income of medium income into the region. And the initial payment is only 3.5% of the cost of the house! In addition, many charity organizations are ready to build special houses for people with disabilities. (5)
Despite these and many other support measures, the problem has not been resolved. There are 4.8 million people disabled in the rental housing market with an income of approximately $ 9,000 per year. (6) These people have no chance of renting quality homes adapted for the needs of disabled people. Of course, these people cannot buy such real estate. Less than 5% of housing in the United States is accessible to major Americans with disabilities. Less than 1% of the house is accessible to wheelchairs. (7), But almost 25% of the American population is disabled!
To solve the situation, it is necessary to change the way of thinking. It is necessary to think about the problem differently. The adaptation of residential real estate for the needs of disabled people should not be a special project. This should be the basic rule of any construction project. That is, all homes under construction or renewal must be adapted for the needs of disabled people. But housing that is not adapted for disabled people can be a special project. If the house is owned by a non -disabled person, then this person can redo this property for their needs. With the obligation to return everything if the house is sold. That is, the house must be remade by people who have no disabilities. But not vice versa. In the United States, almost a quarter of the population or 70 million people are disabled. (8) Such real estate requirement is natural.
Let’s be honest. This solution has its inconveniences. The main inconvenience is the increase in the cost of all real estate. However, it is possible to avoid the increase in prices. To do this, it is necessary to introduce new construction rules that allow a reduction in the cost of housing. For example, introduce a rule that allows the construction of bedrooms without windows or a rule that limits the number of bathrooms in a residential building. That is, construction rules must be optimized. The refusal to build an additional bath can compensate for money spent in adapting a house for the needs of disabled people. Less luxury, but more useful functions. This is the main point of changing construction rules. And this will avoid an increase in the cost of housing, but improve the functionality of houses.
It is very interesting that the authorities are already using this administrative method to solve local housing problems in some cities. For example, in New York City, where there is a housing shortage, officials plan to convert office buildings into residential buildings. To do this, the authorities are discussing the possibility of abandoning the rule that each bedroom must have a window. (9) If it is possible to combat housing scarcity in some cities in this way, why can’t you do the same to solve the federal housing problem for the disabled?
Of course, this plan will require political will and a lot of time to implement. But it is worth it. After all, there is no guarantee that one of us is not disabled tomorrow and will see for himself how important special real estate is.
Verification list
1) https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/Housing/ny-housing.php
2) https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/accessibility/restaurant-access.php
3) https://www.hud.gov/topics/information_for_disabled_persons
4) https://themortgageports.com/31507/best-programs-for-geting-a-mortgage-with-a-desable
5) https://www.hfotusa.
6) https://thearc.org/policy-advocacy/housing/
7) https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/21/less-than-5percer-ousing-is-acessible-to-Ovener-disable-americans.html
8) https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s0716-adult-disability.html
9) https://www.curbed.com/2023/03/eric-adams-windows-affordable-housing.html
Editorial Note: Addressing the housing crisis for people with disabilities requires bold reforms that prioritize inclusion over luxury. The call of this article to integrate accessibility in standard construction practices is a future solution that could remodel social attitudes towards disability and housing equity. While challenges as the cost remain, the proposed strategies offer a pragmatic starting point for significant change. The conversation about accessible homes often stops in cost concerns, however, this article challenges that assumption with a pragmatic approach: prioritizing functionality over luxury. If cities can fold the zoning laws to address housing shortages, why not do the same to create inclusive spaces for millions? The question is not whether we can afford to make the house accessible, it is whether we can allow ourselves not to do so Disabled world (DW).
Author’s credentials: Pavel Kuljuk’s articles and poems are published in Australia, North America and Europe. In recent years, he has been constantly collaborating with Australian rural and regional news (Australia), Red Hook Daily Catch and Oped News (USA) and disabled World (Canada). Kuliuk’s individual publications are in Forbes (Kazakhstan), Rural 21 (Germany), London loves business (United Kingdom), Karrep (India), Realcleardefensa (RCD), change links, Daily Caller (USA. UU.) And many others. Explore the complete biography of Pavels to obtain comprehensive information about their background, experience and achievements.
Citing and references
Founded in 2004, Disañeded World (DW) is a leading resource on disabilities, assistance and accessibility technologies, which supports the disability community. Get more information on our page about us.
Quot this page: Pavel Kuljuk. (2025, March 30). How to change the real estate market for people with disabilities. Disabled world (DW). Retrieved on March 31, 2025 from www.disapabled-world.com/disability/housing/less-uxury.php
Permanent link: How to change the real estate market of people with disabilities: the article examines the lack of accessible homes and proposes changes in construction codes to improve the affordability and functionality of people with disabilities.
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