HUD Launches Design and Construction Education Program

Information by State   Related Information   News Release   FIRST web site   Las Vegas

HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has launched an education program that will help homebuilders and architects to more easily design and construct housing that complies with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act.

One out of every five persons in the nation has some type of moderate or severe physical disability. Yet, many of the nation's communities suffer a critical shortage of accessible housing.

The education program, Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST, provides architects and builders with information about the Fair Housing Act's accessibility requirements, and covers disability rights laws, common design and construction violations and solutions, strategies for constructing compliant kitchens, bathrooms and common-use areas, and the Department's efforts to enforce the Act.

"The education and outreach activities of this project will help to make those in the housing industry more aware of their responsibilities under the Fair Housing Act," said HUD Secretary Mel Martinez.

FIRST has dual significance. FIRST describes the services offered by the program: fair housing instruction, resources, support, and technical guidance. FIRST also conveys the importance of planning for compliance with the accessibility requirements first - before engineering, design, and construction.

Carolyn Y. Peoples, HUD's Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, said that when builders are aware of the Fair Housing Act's requirements before design and construction begins, they can avoid costly retrofitting and increase housing opportunities for persons with disabilities.

The program's training curriculum is approved by the American Institute of Architects for continuing education credits, and consists of nine training modules that can be presented individually or in any combination.

The program, which is administered by BearingPoint, Inc., also includes a technical assistance component. Technical guidance is offered through a Design and Construction Resource Center that enables builders and architects to receive individualized guidance from design experts who use the same terminology. The Center can be reached through the FIRST Web site, or via a toll-free hotline.

To log on to the FIRST Web site, go to www.fairhousingfirst.org. The site contains educational and legal materials, answers to frequently asked questions, a training and conference calendar, links to related sites, and allows interested individuals to ask questions.

To reach the Design and Construction Resource Center, call the Center's toll-free number, 1 (888) 341-7781, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (ET).