| 18.05.07
:: Terrence Aschoff, Manager CHRANZ
The Centre for Housing Research, Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ) has released today research that aims to assist the housing and disability sectors to effectively optimise housing access for the growing numbers of people who will be managing severe or moderate disability over the next twenty-five years. The project was jointly funded by CHRANZ and the Office for Disability Issues.
The key findings include:
Disabled people’s housing needs are not being met by New Zealand’s current housing stock.
There is considerable unmet need for accessible, safe, warm, comfortable housing that works well for young and old people with impaired mobility. Almost a quarter of survey respondents had difficulty keeping their homes warm in winter. Over two-fifths needed changes to safely enter and exit their homes. Half needed internal house modifications.
Unmet need is likely to increase as disability and impaired mobility increases in the population.
Disabled people and the government spend considerable amounts on housing modifications. Much of this expenditure is on very basic home alterations such as widening doorways and installing wet area showers – modifications that would be easier and more cost-effective if they were integrated into newly-built and renovated housing. These needs are very rudimentary. They are not discretionary lifestyle choices.
If basic house designs were more accessible, specialised home alterations tailored to an individual would be more affordable and better targeted.
There are very few 'universal design' features in new houses to ensure a basic level of accessibility.
Modifications to existing housing stock for disabled people are mostly piecemeal. They do not deal with the changing needs of disabled people and their families, for example, when young disabled children grow up and as parents of disabled children grow older.
Government funding for house modifications are aimed at the disabled individual’s basic needs and often fail to recognise the needs of the overall welfare and working of the household including the disabled person’s ability to contribute to the household.
Modified houses are frequently not retained in the market or made available to people wanting accessible housing. Many modifications are simply ripped out.
There are no systematic mechanisms such as accessible housing registers, for modified houses to be identified, retained and advertised.
An accessible, well-performing housing stock that meets the changing needs of disabled people is a ‘future-proofed’ stock that will perform well for everyone. It would meet New Zealand’s long term goal of making our built environment resource efficient and sustainable supporting liveable homes and communities.
A full copy of the research report is available online. A copy of the CHRANZ Research Bulletin is available online.
For further information please contact:
Terrence Aschoff
CHRANZ
terrence.aschoff@chranz.co.nz
Phone: 04 439 3326
or
Kay Saville Smith
Research Director
CRESA
kay.saville-smith@cresa.co.nz
Ph: 04 473 3071
Cell: 027 4303 575
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