Accessible Housing Matters

How can the design of a home transform the daily life of a child with disabilities and have a lasting impact throughout their lifetime? How does this transformation affect their family and caregivers?   This episode features Marcel Hernandez Development Director of Tucker's House, a nonprofit in Tennessee that customizes homes for disabled children. They focus on creating accessible spaces that ca...

What if we could bridge the gap between accessible housing for the aging population and job creation for marginalized communities?   Join us for an inspiring conversation with Kat Kabat, Director of Construction Operations at Hope Renovations, a non-profit organization transforming lives through accessible home renovations and construction training for women and genderqueer individuals. Discover h...

Why is early and effective planning crucial for long-term home safety and independence?   In this episode, Stephen interviews Janet Engel - an occupational therapist, certified aging-in-place specialist, and an executive certificate in home modification holder - to share her expertise and help people understand the importance of making their living space more accessible and safer for them to navig...

Why is it crucial to make homes more accessible for everyone? Today, Aaron Murphy, the founder of ForeverHOME, discusses how to create a safe and comfortable space for aging in place. Learn what universal design is and why it is vital to creating accessible homes for everyone. Hear how Aaron has been helping people age in place through his program and how to help those with limited financial resou...

How do you envision a future where every community prioritizes accessibility and inclusivity in their housing options?   Join us as we explore the inspiring story of Michael Donnelly and Garrett Mayersohn, two people working together to provide accessible housing for people with disabilities and seniors. They discuss their plan to market barrier-free housing as well as the Certified Aging in Place...

How can you make housing more inclusive and accommodating for people with disabilities? This episode explores Ari Aufgang's journey into creating supportive and inclusionary housing, his challenges, and the lessons he has learned along the way. He covers topics such as accessibility features for people with disabilities, how to manage public perception of inclusionary housing, and how to choose ec...

Are you looking for a game-changer in healthcare and housing support? In this episode, Jacey Cooper – the California State Medicaid Director – talks about the changes being made to Medicaid in California to provide a broader range of services related to housing and accessibility. From providing community supports such as medically supportive housing and home modifications to recuperative care and...

Remembering Bill Pelter Last month, our community lost one of our most beloved members. Bill Pelter was a life-long advocate for the civil rights of people with disabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was wise, passionate, and tireless in his advocacy. He was also my friend. In recent years, he frequently spoke about how an aging society meant that many family members are "aging out" of the...

How does providing affordable, independent housing through Housing Unlimited improve the quality of life for adults in mental health recovery? In this episode, our guest is Abe Schuchman, CEO of Housing Unlimited, a Maryland-based nonprofit that provides housing services to individuals with mental health challenges. Abe breaks down their unique shared housing model and focuses on the importance of...

People and families thrive best when they have a place to call home and are fully included in the community. In this episode, Chris Canna dives deep into the challenges faced when providing accessible, safe housing for people with disabilities such as staffing needs and the cost of housing. He touches on CIL's work in Massachusetts & Connecticut and discusses how this is leading the way in providi...

Are you building and remodeling to better meet the needs of everyone at every life stage? In this episode, Richard Duncan shares insights into how the R. L. Mace Universal Design Institute works to improve the built environment for those with disabilities. He touches on the efforts to promote universal design in the housing sector as well as potential funders who specialize in forward-thinking mec...

Happy New Year! This is the last in my series of "Best of" episodes I wanted to share with you a 2nd time during this holiday season. This past September, I met three powerful women who took on the recalcitrant bureaucrats in New York State and are changing their worlds and the future for their kids. It is an incredible story, and I'm delighted to share it with you again. I hope you have enjoyed t...

Happy Holidays! This is the 2nd of three of my most popular interviews from 2022, that I am sharing with you this holiday season.     Back in March, I had the pleasure of interviewing Rosemarie Rossetti about her experience building her dream home…and developing a network of resources and accessible design standards in the process.  It was a wonderful conversation, and I hope you enjoy hearing our...

Hi Everyone. Happy Holidays! It has been a wonderful year of great interviews and terrific learning here on the podcast. I thought it would be great to revisit a few of my most popular interviews from 2022.   First up, my most popular show ever: Back in mid-January, I interviewed Don Shirley and Chris Cooley about SafeinHome. SafeinHome has been a "life changer" for Chris, and in this conversation...

Are you looking to live safely and independently at home? In this episode, Maria Zamora delves into PACE programs and how it provides access to all-inclusive care for the elderly. She breaks down how PACE helps participants retain their independence, live in their own homes, and decrease their reliance on institutional care. Maria points out the challenges these programs face and explains why they...

Have you ever wondered what you need to create inclusive, innovative & integrated accessible housing?  In this episode, Paul Linet introduces 3i HoME and talks about their upcoming affordable and accessible housing project. He stresses how there's a dearth of accessible housing that meets the needs of people with mobility impairments and other disabilities. Paul digs deep into the challenges that...

Are you looking for ways to create an accessible space to live in? In this episode, Julie Sawchuk digs into how to identify any potential accessibility issues in a building, what can be done to make the building more accessible, and how much money should be budgeted for accessibility. She also describes better practices that would be more comfortable and safe for people with disabilities. Tune in...

Maintaining yourself as a care partner in the best possible way to be physically, mentally, and emotionally strong is what allows you to provide the best care and support for this person who is relying on you for their well-being. In this episode, Elissa Lewin teaches how to care for yourself while caring for others, and how this will allow you both to maintain a level of independence. She breaks...

Are you ready to buy your first home? In this episode, Jeremy Johansen shares his experience buying a home in 2010. He found homes that were based on price, location, and basic facilities. He also looked for houses that were accessible for him in terms of community and location. Jeremy's experience illustrates the importance of accessibility in home buying. Let's dive in! Jeremy Johansen purchased...

It's time to change how we view accessible short-term (vacation) rental properties. In this episode, Lorraine Woodward digs into the mission of Becoming RentABLE, what they are doing to shift the way the world thinks about accessibility, and how everyone can help make this a global change. She breaks down the five focus areas and the 36 filters they offer in order to help people with disabilities...

In June of 2022, I was honored to be a guest on the podcast, "The ABCs of Disability Planning', hosted by Eric Jorgensen.  He had invited me on his show to learn more about my podcast and my work. The conversation turned out to be amazing, and we chatted about some of the key themes that have emerged in my podcast over the past couple of years. So I thought I would share some of the interview I di...

Smokey Hollow was conceived by a parent who wanted to expand residential choices for her adult son who needs 24/7 support. In New York state, the group home model has years-long wait lists, and the individual and family have little choice in where and with whom the individual can live. That leaves a gaping hole in services for a vulnerable population with few viable options available to them. Crea...

Are you seeking out solutions that allow your personal independence as much as possible? In this episode, the president of Lift & Transfer Specialists, Craig Coogan digs into their company's work in accessible housing, the different types of Surehands products, and how they are tailored specifically for people with disabilities. Craig discusses some of the challenges he's faced in his career, and...

Build homes that people can afford. In this episode, Tom digs into the Bergen County United Way mission and how they focus on inclusion and strive to be equitable in all they do. He also shares the challenges developers face when building supportive housing and how affordable housing is a positive term needed to solve the housing affordability crisis. Tune in and dive into an accessible housing su...

Are you looking to be a homeowner instead of a renter? In this episode, Stephen talks with Cheryl Engel about her experience purchasing a home in April of 2022. She discloses the importance of location and accessibility when purchasing a home. Cheryl stresses how she was able to find a lender and bring her own income to make the purchase work financially. She also discussed how important it is to...