What makes an apartment a handicap accessible apartment?
In certain jurisdictions, contemporary apartment complexes may also include some flats with more accessible amenities, such as ground-level entry, walk-in showers, larger doors, lower cabinetry, and greater floor space. Such apartments are referred to as "handicap accessible" or "accessible housing". The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines these types of units as including "all available features that a person can use to easily access all areas of the unit." Generally speaking, an apartment is considered handicap accessible if it has a ramp or elevated curb cut for easy entrance and exit, wide doorways, accessible bathrooms, and low furniture. An accessory room or other separate area with similar requirements can be found acceptable in some cases. If your local building code requires it, an elevator can be used as proof of accessibility. However, elevators are expensive to install and maintain, so they aren't always included in new construction. Also, not every resident of an apartment complex needs access to an elevator; some people with disabilities can navigate stairs without assistance. Many older apartment buildings were built without any kind of accessibility in mind. They may have had one or two toilets on each floor that could be accessed from the outside of the building, but otherwise would have been completely inaccessible. These buildings should not be considered handicap accessible.