Although amendments to the Fair Housing Act in 1988 resulted in disabled people being included under the law, there remains little availability of accessible housing in the United States. Less than five percent of housing in the country is accessible for people with “moderate mobility difficulties and less than one percent of housing is accessible for wheelchair users.” Only about one-third of housing is even modifiable.
This means most people navigate around a house that’s not built for wheelchair or other mobility device users. This can be treacherous. Houses have lips, steps, and other tripping or falling hazards like rugs and carpets. One person emphasized that “Wherever we go we’re gonna have to put a ramp to the front door. You know that’s a given. And we have to be cognizant of rugs and tile and that type of thing.”
This photo shows a metal temporary or portable ramp that can be added to a step to a front door, or other step. They come in various lengths and sizes, but can be rather expensive. That’s why, in another photo, they decided to build one out of wood scraps they had around the house.