# Presentation: 656256

**Janie B. Scott, MA, OTR/L, FAOTA**
**President**
**Homes for Life Coalition of Howard County**
**June 30, 2004**

## The Homes for Life Coalition of Howard County (HFLC), Maryland 

- The Homes for Life Coalition of Howard County (HFLC), Maryland

## Overview

**Background and Early Development**
**Getting Focused: Vision, Mission and Strategic Planning**
**Accomplishments: Education and Advocacy, Fundraising**
**Next Steps: Challenges and Opportunities**

## What is the Homes for Life Coalition?

**Non-Profit Community Organization **
**Founded September 1999**
**According to Phyllis Madachy, Administrator Howard County Office on Aging, Howard County’s population of elderly and physically disabled is growing.  Little existing housing in the county meets the special needs of these populations.  At the same time, Howard County will soon be “built-out.”**

## HFLC Membership

**Membership open to all and includes:**
**Contractors, builders, realtors, and interior designers**
**Occupational and physical therapists and other health care  professionals**
**P****eople with disabilities and older adults**
**Advocates **
**Representatives from Howard County Department of Citizen Services and Howard Community College (HCC)**

## HFLC  Vision

**Homes in Howard County are **
**visit-able and barrier-free.**
**  ****Consumers expect these features,**
**  ****Public policy supports these expectations, ****	****and**
**  ****The building industry responds.**

## HFLC Mission

**The Homes for Life Coalition of Howard County advocates for homes to be ****visit-able and barrier-free by**
**Educating consumers about concepts and options,**
**Leading advocacy efforts to affect public policy, and**
**Increasing the building industry’s knowledge of ****barrier–free design.**

## HFLC Encourages Accessibility, VISIT-Ability, and Universal Design (UD)

## What is VISIT-Ability?

**VISIT-Able homes allows visitors and residents with different abilities and changing needs, welcoming access to the main floor living area.**

## What is Universal Design (UD)?

**Universal Design is the design of products and environments to be useable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design **

**Source: Center for Universal Design, North Carolina University**** **

## HFLC Strategic Planning Goals

**To provide educational ****information about universal design, visit-ability and barrier-free living to all consumers**
**To increase knowledge of public officials about visit-ability and barrier-free living**
**To partner with the building industry to provide training regarding visit-ability and barrier-free**
**To remain a viable 501C3 organization**

## Advocacy and Education our Main Goals

## HFLC Advocacy Accomplishments

**Increase the number of new and renovated existing homes that are safe, convenient and welcoming**
**Partnered with Howard County Dept of Planning and Zoning to develop minimum standards for Active Senior Housing in Howard County**
**Worked with Howard County Library to acquire additional materials involving Home Modifications, Universal Design (UD), and VISIT-Ability**

## HFLC Advocacy Accomplishments

**Increase the number of new and renovated existing homes that are safe, convenient, and welcoming**
**Communicated with County Council officials**
**Created and Implemented a VISIT-Ability survey at the 50+ Expo in 2001 **** **

## Results of HFLC  Survey of 289 people at  Howard County’s 50+ Expo in 2001

**96% want a bathroom on the main level of their home**
**Between 83 - 91% want the other features of VISIT-Ability**
**Over 60% of those surveyed are willing to pay more for a  home with these features**

## HFLC Advocacy Accomplishment

**May 16, 2003  **
**Was Proclaimed  by Howard County Government, **
**Homes for Life/ Aging In Place Day **
**in Howard County, Maryland**

## HFLC Education Accomplishments

**Educated Professionals, Legislators, and Consumers about benefits of UD, and VISIT-Ability**** **
**Co-created and sponsored the HCC course “Introduction to Home Modifications, Universal Design, and VISIT-Ability**
**Authored two publications; “Glossary of Barrier Free Housing Terms” and “Homes for Life: Using Universal Design to Create Barrier Free Homes for Better Living”**

## HFLC Education Accomplishments

** **
**Educated Professionals, Legislators, and Consumers about benefits of UD, and VISIT-Ability **
**Created the HFLC Definition of VISIT-Ability, Sept. 2001 **
**Sponsored an information booth at the 2001 & 2002 ****50+ Expo**

## HFLC Workshop May 16, 2003

**Introduction to Home Modifications, Universal Design, and VISIT-Ability**
**Discover the Keys to Smart Home Design for ****	****Accessibility and Safety**
**A Continuing Education Class for Professionals ****	****and Consumers Presented in Collaboration ****	****with Howard Community College**

## April 20, 2004 Builders’ Workshop

**Universal Design in Housing for Active Adults**
**Sponsored by: Howard County’s Office on Aging, and Department of Planning and Zoning, and the Homes for Life Coalition **
**Workshop presenter: Richard Duncan, Training Director at the Center for Universal Design, North Carolina State University**

## May 5, 2004 HFLC General Meeting

**	****A Panel Discussion: Keeping up with the ****	****Joneses: An Examination of How Howard ****	****County is Meeting the Housing Needs of ****	****Its Changing Population**

## HFLC Challenges

**Funding**
**Sustaining Volunteer Commitment**
**Fluctuating Number of Paid Members**
**Public Awareness/Media Support**
**Measuring Impact of Initiatives**

## HFLC Opportunities

**Community Interest**
**Shared Vision with Community Organizations**
**Progressive and Visionary County Government**
**Grants and Gifts **

## HFLC NEXT STEPS

**Membership Expansion**
**Develop Fundraising Plan and Implement**
**Education**
**Advocacy**

## What can you do to help the HFLC?

**Join the HFLC and attend our meetings**
**Volunteer to participate on committees and ****serve in leadership roles**
**Donate  office space and equipment**
**Provide pro bono accountant and legal services**
**Help develop and manage HFLC website**
**Donate funds to help support our operational objectives**

## What the Home for Life Coalition Offers:

**Speakers at meetings and special events**
**Opportunities to educate consumers and professionals about HFLC, UD, and ****VISIT-Ability**
**Opportunity to contribute to the quality of life for all Howard County residents**
**Workshops and training about UD and VISIT-Ability**

## 

Visit our evolving website at:www.homesforlifecoalition.orgor www.hflc.org

**Visit our evolving website at:****www.homesforlifecoalition.org****or www.hflc.org**

## Join Us and Make a Difference

**The Homes for Life Coalition of Howard County**
**P.O. Box  6686**
**Ellicott City, MD 21042****(410)  790 - 9752**
- _[homesforlife@comcast.net](mailto:homesforlife@comcast.net)_