UNDATED (NewsDakota.com) – West St. Paul and South St. Paul have both taken a step back in Dakota’s continual efforts to improve accessible housing for disabled residents.

The two cities are restricting housing options for residents who receive state assistance for being both low-income and disabled, city officials recently announced. From now on, existing properties can keep low-income and disabled tenants, but can’t accept more. The reasoning behind the new ordinances, city officials claim, is these residents are overburdening local police with phone calls.

The change has been criticized by Dakota County officials who disagree with restricting or prohibiting housing choices for the disabled. They’re also concerned it will become impossible to further develop assisted-living facilities for seniors, who make up a big chunk of low-income and disabled residents. Moreover, disability advocates suspect the ordinances violate the Fair Housing Act, and conflict with existing laws mandating the integration of disabled people into the community as best possible.

Improving accessibility in existing Dakota homes

While there’s currently a shortage of available, affordable, and accessible housing in Dakota, it’s possible to make changes to existing homes in order to make them accessible. If you or a family member is disabled or has mobility issues, modifying your home to better cater to their needs is an essential step. A well-designed home helps ensure a safe, welcoming, and easy-to-maneuver living space for disabled residents. It also promotes independent living which improves quality of life. Moreover, if you’re a Dakota County resident, you may be eligible to get your home modifications covered by various state-run programs, such as, the HCBS Waiver or the Minnesota Consumer Support Grant.

Ideas for effective home modifications

There are plenty of ways to make your home more accessible, some more complex than others. Firstly, widening all your doorways makes them much more easy to navigate in a wheelchair. Remove the frames and doors, or simply reverse the direction the door opens, and you’ll instantly create a more approachable space. There should also be at least one step-free entrance into the home, which may require the installation of a wheelchair ramp. Keeping your home organized and clutter-free means there’s greater room to wheel around in.

Residents with a disability or mobility issues are vulnerable to injury, so it’s important to minimize the risk of this happening. Installing grab-bars in difficult areas of your home, such as, the stairways, hallways, and the bathroom will help the individual maintain balance and avoid falls. You may also want to install a stairway lift. Lowering light switches, shelves, countertops so they can will used while sitting will minimize strains, falls, and other preventable accidents.

All trip hazards including area rugs and runners should be removed. While laminate and tiled flooring is best for wheelchair use, if rugs are preferred, they can be secured down with carpet tape. Ultimately, making your Dakota home more accessible means considering how the individual lives on a daily basis and making sure daily activity is as safe and easy as possible for them.