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Michelle Eastman

We’re excited to have Michelle join us as a Summer Analyst. Michelle will be helping with research, field building, and administration. One of the major tasks of Michelle’s internship will be helping to get The Kelsey’s Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion into the hands of developers and architects through research, communication, and networking. She also be supporting out Inclusive Houser Network and other field resources for disability-forward housing. We’re grateful to have Michelle working with us.

Sandra Conley

We’re excited to welcome Sandra to our team as a Summer Associate and AAPD Intern. Sandra will be working on advocacy and field building projects to support inclusive, accessible, and affordable housing. She brings rich lived-experience and expertise to our work.

Element of the Month: Reach Requirements

The Kelsey created The Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion while building disability-forward housing at The Kelsey Ayer Station in San Jose. This month’s Element of the Month is from Diane Dittmar, our project manager and Vice President at Sares Regis Group. Here she shares a simple but impactful element that can be applied in housing projects regardless of budget: Reach Requirements.

Element of the Month: Dual Handrails

When you apply elements from The Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion you can support housing stability in many ways. Whether supporting a person with mobility disabilities like Fatimah shares, helping someone age in place, or making a space more usable and safe for all people. Learn more about Fatimah, who manages the Housing Design Standards work at The Kelsey, and an element she values: Dual Handrails.

Joining Disability Economic Justice Collaborative

The Century Foundation and Ford Foundation recently launched the Disability Economic Justice Collaborative to level the playing field regarding economic justice for people with disabilities. The Kelsey is thrilled to Join the Collaborative to advance housing access, as essential to both disability justice and economic opportunity.

Element of The Month: Inclusion and Disability Training

In 2021, The Kelsey launched The Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion aimed to equip designers, builders, and developers with guidelines and frameworks for disability-forward housing creation. It highlights cross-disability accessibility and design decisions that are anchored in inclusion. Each month we’ll feature one of our partners and the Element they’re most excited to be using in their own communities. This month, learn from Beth at UC Davis on her favorite element.

Off-Kilter Podcast

The Kelsey is excited to be working with the Century Foundation’s new Disability Justice Economic team.  As we begin that work, Micaela Connery, Allie Cannington and Fatimah Aure were featured on the Century Foundation’s “Off Kilter” Podcast where they discussed The Kelsey’s work and how we are working to change housing policy by centering the voices and needs of people with disabilities. 

Ari Katz

As a proud member of the disability community, Ari is committed to advancing disability justice and is thrilled to be part of an organization that shares that goal.

Molly Wiesman

Molly Wiesman began her career as an administrative assistant at a technology firm before becoming a part of The Kelsey team. She has been involved with various organizations serving people with disabilities such as Easter Seals and Best Buddies.