(New Zealand Disability Strategy Objective 8: Support quality living in the community for disabled people)

Disabled people want to carry out domestic tasks in their own homes as well as to undertake social, economic and civic activities in their communities. Houses and other buildings need to be structured so they can do these things.

Increasing attention is being given to the ‘lifetime design’ of buildings, by which buildings are designed so they can be used by all people with minimal or no further adaptation. Like more accessible transport, buildings developed according to lifetime design principles benefit all people, not only disabled people. In particular, if non-disabled occupants become less agile or mobile as they grow older, their houses either will not need to be modified to accommodate these changes or will require less costly modifications than would be required with ‘traditional’ housing.

Lifetime design

In 2008/2009, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Development and the Housing New Zealand Corporation continued their contract – running until 30 August 2009 – to provide financial support for the Lifetime Design Foundation established by CCS Disability Action. This work has included the establishment of Lifemark as a symbol that a building meets the Lifetime Design standard of accessibility.

In November 2009, the Ministry of Social Development released a report prepared on behalf of Lifemark which outlined how using lifetime design principles in housing could save up to $60 million in the housing sector for disabled people.

Planned actions for 2009/2010 include:

• the development of standards for lifetime design and accessible design for incorporation into Housing Corporation New Zealand’s new construction work: the standards are to be completed by the end of the 2009/2010 year (Housing Corporation New Zealand)
• the Healthy Housing programme, helping disabled people by making design improvements to their homes: over 2009/2010 (Housing Corporation New Zealand and district health boards).

An accessible built environment

Other actions undertaken in 2008/2009 to make buildings more accessible included:

• a best practice guide to refurbishment and fair wear and tear in retirement villages, to help operators and residents with disabilities understand their rights and obligations (Department of Building and Housing)
• the publication of research commissioned by the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ), a business unit of Housing New Zealand Corporation, on:
  • scenarios for older people’s housing
  • access to safe and secure housing for at-risk and vulnerable young people, including young disabled people needing additional support in their transition to independence and young people recovering from mental illness and/or addictions (jointly commissioned with the Ministry of Youth Development).

Planned actions include:

• research on the private rental market, including on renters in the private market who are employed in part or full-time work and cannot afford to buy at lower quartile house sale prices (commissioned by CHRANZ, to be incorporated into research commissioned by the Department of Building and Housing)
• research on the older renter (Department of Building and Housing)
• a review of the Building Code so that it includes requirements for uniform signage to help disabled people to find their way safely and efficiently in buildings: proposals for public consultation on possible options are to be prepared by June 2010 (Department of Building and Housing)
• a long-term, strategic plan for school property which takes into account the needs of disabled students: this will be ongoing, and targets have been set for the Ministry of Education’s 2009/2010 Property Investment work programme (Ministry of Education).