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Current Issues
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The RCA board
has determined that some issues that would be
coordinated by a town government should be reviewed to see what
activities RCA could begin work on, independent of its work on
governance. The issues included:
Visitability and
Accessibility see
Forum on Visitability and
Accessibility
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 Nature of the
Issue. Access to housing is a particular problem in Reston for mobility-impaired persons because of the prevalence of multi-level townhouses and condos. This affects potential residents who use mobility devices as well as out-of-towners who wish to visit (hence the word “visitability”) able-bodied residents. RCA Board has noted that some long-time Reston residents opt to move away from Reston as they age, rather than adapt their dwellings.
Reston
Accessibility Committee. Meeting first in Jan. 2008, this small group of volunteers is looking to double its size. For information, contact
Ken Fredgren at 703/391-9019 or fredgren.k@juno.com. As its first project, the Access Committee is contacting individual businesses in Reston in the name of RCA to request and work out changes which would improve access to facilities the Committee members use or would like to use.
CHOICE
(Coalition for Housing Opportunities in the Community for
Everyone). RCA is an organizational member of this group. CHOICE Board members have appeared on broadcast RCA Board meetings, as has a private attorney who works with CHOICE when litigation is needed.
Feel free to borrow CHOICE’s moving and enlightening video, on rehabbing seven area houses affordably, from Marion Stillson,
by contacting her at 703-860-0019 or mbs@point0.net
Town Center
Access. RCA talked with the Hunter Mill Supervisor and an aggrieved restaurant patron to resolve the refusal of Town Center officials to allow the mobility-impaired patron to be dropped off near the restaurant of her choice. The problem was resolved amicably.
Forum on Visitability and
Accessibility. In May 2006, RCA and Reston Interfaith jointly presented a well-attended
community forum featuring local architects, residents and vendors. Residents showed photos of remodeling projects and vendors explained the latest in stair glides, elevators and lifts. CHOICE provided information on financial assistance for remodeling.
Affordable
Housing. RCA supported Fairfax County initiatives by writing letters to the editor (published) of local newspapers.
Fairfax County Long-Term Care Coordinating
Committee. RCA
Vice President Marion
Stillson has attended Fairfax Co. meetings
on this issue and monitors their progress.
Press
Coverage on Accessibility Issues
POSSIBLE FUTURE PROJECTS
Advocate an ordinance for Fairfax County for new housing construction that would mandate "visitability" (at least one housing entrance without steps) wherever possible.
Research the potential for grants to improve visitability within the Reston community, for example, within clusters.
Develop design guidelines for visitability features that could be included in the RA design guidelines so that the features would be pre-approved
Discuss adding visitability and accessibility contractors to the list of contractors being developed by
ARCH
Determine
requirements for programs rating communities for accessibility and
visitability such as AARP's
and EasyLiving
and achieve the level of accessibility for the disabled that would let
Reston be a national leader.
Research the
Justice Department program for rating accessibility in communities.
LINKS OF LOCAL INTEREST:
CHOICE
(Coalition
for Housing Opportunities in Community for Everyone)
AccessVA.org
Fairfax
Area Disability Services Board ENDependence
Center of Northern Virginia
VA
Senior Navigator (contains many resources for persons
with disabilities)
LINKS OF GENERAL INTEREST
ADA
Guidelines for Small Towns Homes
for Life (Howard
Co., MD) UDA
Disability
Resources (ADA)
Aging
in Place Initiatives Center
for Accessibility
National
Organization on Disability Disability
Resources (Makoa) HUD
NAHB
Livable
Communities Awards from AARP Accessible
Home Design EasyLiving
FREE Downloads from
Universal Design (UD)
Rebuilding
Together CAPS
Locator
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View More Issues:
Multicultural/Immigrant Assimilation
Public Safety
Affordable Housing
Business Development
Community Healthcare
Virtual Infrastructure
Transportation
View results of Reston
Issues Poll held at Reston Festival 2006
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