Jun 12 2007
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Organization on Disability (NOD) named the Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association (MNCBIA) as the winner of the 2007 National Disability Initiative Award last week at an event held in conjunction with NAHB's Spring Board of Directors Meeting. MNCBIA was recognized for its Design for Life Montgomery program, the first voluntary certification program in Maryland to promote greater accessibility in single-family attached and single-family detached construction.
"We applaud the MNCBIA for its leadership in developing a program that promotes universal design features in housing and that helps to ensure that citizens with disabilities have homes that meet their needs and enhance their lives," said Gary Garczynski, chairman of the National Housing Endowment, NAHB's philanthropic arm, which contributed a $1,000 cash prize to the winning organization.
In spearheading The Design for Life effort in Montgomery County, Md., the MNCBIA worked with the local county council as well as the county's Commission on People with Disabilities to develop a voluntary program that home builders can follow to make their homes accessible to people living with disabilities. Builders who follow the program requirements can receive certification from the county stating that their homes meet the standards for 'visitability' and 'livability.' The requirements include such universal design features as no-step entryways and wide doorways.
In addition to helping develop the standards for certification, the MNCBIA has hosted educational sessions for its home builder members so that they can understand the requirements and learn the long-term benefits of building accessible homes.
"The Design for Life program identifies all of the components necessary to ensure that a home can meet the diverse needs of our community and offers clear steps to builders, remodelers and home owners, about how to use these features in their homes," said John Stovall, chairman of MNCBIA's Design for Life Committee and a partner in NSArchitects.
NAHB, which has been a national program partner with NOD for nearly a decade, presents the Disability Initiative Award annually to a local or state home building affiliate that has developed a program or service focused on enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. Past winners include the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Denver and the Home Builders Association of Northern Colorado.