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Video: Breaking ground in San Jose

A video recap of groundbreaking at The Kelsey Ayer Station in San Jose. Featuring remarks from Mayor Sam Liccardo, funding partners, and our Community Advisory Group.

Making the Right to Community Living A Reality

It is Disability Pride Month, 32nd anniversary of the ADA and the 23rd anniversary of the US Supreme Court Decision of Olmstead. Check out the #OlmsteadAt23 Twitter chat recap and hear from partners about how this nation can make the right to community living a reality.

Element of the Month: Path Slopes

This month’s Element of the Month, from The Kelsey’s amazing Summer Analysts, Michelle Eastman, whose central access needs are mobility and height. Her element, Path Slopes, is an example of a design choice with additional benefits.  An alternative to ramps or stairs, her element of choice creates comfort and ease of navigation in maneuvering spaces. Path Slopes don’t only support mobility and vision accessibility but also improve safety for all residents and guests.

Element of the Month: People with Disabilities Represented on the Project Team

This month’s Element of the Month is from Erick Mikiten of Mikiten Architecture. Erick was a key consultant in developing the Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion and has been an architect on many disability-forward housing communities. As a person with multiple disabilities and a designer, Erik believes “that to have an inclusive project, you need an inclusive process.” Read more about the element he values: People with Disabilities Represented on the Project Team.

Michelle Eastman

We’re excited to have Michelle join us as a Summer Analyst. Michelle will be helping with research, field building, and administration. One of the major tasks of Michelle’s internship will be helping to get The Kelsey’s Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion into the hands of developers and architects through research, communication, and networking. She also be supporting out Inclusive Houser Network and other field resources for disability-forward housing. We’re grateful to have Michelle working with us.

Sandra Conley

We’re excited to welcome Sandra to our team as a Summer Associate and AAPD Intern. Sandra will be working on advocacy and field building projects to support inclusive, accessible, and affordable housing. She brings rich lived-experience and expertise to our work.

Element of the Month: Reach Requirements

The Kelsey created The Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion while building disability-forward housing at The Kelsey Ayer Station in San Jose. This month’s Element of the Month is from Diane Dittmar, our project manager and Vice President at Sares Regis Group. Here she shares a simple but impactful element that can be applied in housing projects regardless of budget: Reach Requirements.