- 20 July, 2005 -

Gone are the days of sterile, institutional and purely functional housing adaptations. Now, the defining features that make a home accessible for individuals with disabilities are positively impacting a home's style and beauty, overall value, and resale price - benefits every homeowner can appreciate. In High Demand On July 26, 1990, President George H. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, landmark legislation addressing fundamental civil rights for people with disabilities. While public spaces are now required by law to be accessible, the ADA didn't establish legal guidelines for building or adapting accessible private homes. At that time, Easter Seals and its long-time corporate supporter, Century 21 Real Estate LLC, first teamed to raise awareness about the importance of barrier-free housing, answered basic questions about accessibility, and worked to define general standards for accessible single-family homes. "Fifteen years later, the need for accessible homes, or universal design, is greater than ever - with more than 54 million Americans living with disabilities, an aging population expected to reach 70 million by 2030, and Baby Boomers concerned about finding homes they can grow old in as an alternative to nursing homes and retirement communities," said James E. Williams, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals. Today, Easter Seals and the CENTURY 21 System have teamed-up again through Easy Access for Easier Living to share several easy-to-follow tips, a checklist, resources and educational pieces that guide homeowners in making their homes accessible - for aging family members, for children or adults living with disabilities, and for themselves. The Web site, www.easterseals.com/easyaccess also hosts a virtual tour of a beautiful, new and fully-accessible home that combines creative design elements with simple, personalized adaptations that make a real difference for a family living with disabilities. Accessible Style and Function There are a number of great ideas and cost effective options for building an accessible home or adapting an existing home - all the while maintaining (and often enhancing) a home's unique style, design, character and functionality. Today's accessible homes incorporate gradually elevated front pathways, elevators disguised as regular closets, open floor plans and common areas, modern bathrooms with easy-to-access showers and baths, efficient kitchens and home offices. "Designing, building and remodeling with barrier-free living in mind is desirable and logical," said Tom Kunz, president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "For today's 'do-it-yourself' homeowners, accessible elements may offer an affordable way to create more functional, inviting and aesthetic living spaces." Easy Tips to Access* Consider these tips from Easter Seals and Century 21 Real Estate LLC, a handful of ideas for homeowners to create accessible, barrier-free and beautiful spaces: Going in, going out. For maximum maneuverability, skip the stairs. Entrances should be made of flat, even surfaces that gradually slope toward doors. Consider wide-entrance doors that open into a home, boast lever-style handles and provide enough space for a wheelchair. Cool kitchen concepts. Lower cabinet, shelving and countertop heights a few inches. Allow for knee room beneath base cabinets for individuals in wheelchairs to better access the sink, countertops or other appliances. Research different appliances and brands before you buy, many offer accessible styles at affordable prices. Look for side-by-side refrigerators or oven ranges, dishwashers and microwaves with voice operated or easy-to-reach controls. Bath basics. Walk-in, curb-less and door-less entry showers are a beautiful and stylish choice for today's master baths, but they're also a great choice for accessibility. Install non-slip and flat surface flooring, grab bars, removable shower heads to adjust for various heights, and faucet controls set low and away from shower heads to safely adjust water temperatures. Wide-open spaces. Open floor plans are a sure bet for easy access and modern living. Keep doorways (32" - 36" clear width) and hallways (42" - 60") wide. Consider one-story buildings or multi-level homes with main level accessible entrance, bathroom and bedroom. And, allow for 5' square clear areas in most rooms - the amount of space required for most wheelchair uses to make a 360 degree turn. Fast fix. Lower or raise the height (48" - 54") of doorbells, peepholes, mailboxes, electrical controls and outlets, telephones, thermostats, windows, racks, shelves, mirrors, and cabinets to meet the needs of wheelchair users. Replace round knob fixtures/hardware with lever or handle styles. Re-arrange furniture or remove base cabinets to provide maneuvering room and knee space under countertops. Purchase a reach stick to access items on higher shelves or in kitchen pantries. Safety first. Lighting is a big consideration for people with low vision - make use of large windows, overhead lighting and several electrical outlets in each room to pave a clear path. Visual devices can be attached to doorbells, telephones and fire alarms to alert people with hearing disabilities. Look into remote control options for appliances, switches and outlets. More access. These are just a few possible accessible adaptations. Step inside www.easterseals.com/easyaccess for extra inspiration, guidance and resources. About Century 21 Real Estate LLC Century 21 Real Estate LLC www.century21.com is the franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, providing comprehensive training, management, administrative and marketing support for the CENTURY 21 System. The System is comprised of 7,300 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 38 countries and territories worldwide. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD). For more information on Cendant's Real Estate Services Division as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, visit the Cendant Media Resource Center at www.cendant.com/media. Since 1979, the CENTURY 21 System has raised more than $80 million -- $4.7 million in 2004 alone -- on behalf of Easter Seals and the children and adults with disabilities it serves, standing as the organization's all-time leading contributor. About Easter Seals For 85 years, Easter Seals has been providing services that help children and adults with disabilities gain greater independence. Our primary services-medical rehabilitation, job training and employment, child care, adult day centers, and camping and recreation-benefit more than 1 million individuals with disabilities and their families each year through more than 500 centers nationwide. See great things at www.easterseals.com. * These are just a few adaptations that are possible to increase the accessibility and comfort of a home occupied by a person with a disability, or a person with functional limitations due to aging. Century 21 Real Estate LLC (www.century21.com) is the franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, providing comprehensive training, management, administrative and marketing support for the CENTURY 21 System. The System is comprised of more than 7,500 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 39 countries and territories worldwide. Century 21 Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD). For more information on Cendant's Real Estate Services Division as well as expert commentary on emerging trends in the real estate industry, visit the Cendant Media Resource Center at www.cendant.com/media. 2005 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. CENTURY 21 is a registered trademark licensed to Century 21 Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each CENTURY 21 Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

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