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Category: Partner Profiles

Element of the Month: Path Slopes

This month’s Element of the Month, from The Kelsey’s amazing Summer Analysts, Michelle Eastman, whose central access needs are mobility and height. Her element, Path Slopes, is an example of a design choice with additional benefits.  An alternative to ramps or stairs, her element of choice creates comfort and ease of navigation in maneuvering spaces. Path Slopes don’t only support mobility and vision accessibility but also improve safety for all residents and guests.

Element of the Month: People with Disabilities Represented on the Project Team

This month’s Element of the Month is from Erick Mikiten of Mikiten Architecture. Erick was a key consultant in developing the Housing Design Standards for Accessibility and Inclusion and has been an architect on many disability-forward housing communities. As a person with multiple disabilities and a designer, Erik believes “that to have an inclusive project, you need an inclusive process.” Read more about the element he values: People with Disabilities Represented on the Project Team.

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.

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: 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. 

Ford Foundation Invests in The Kelsey

The Ford Foundation recently announced its first-ever program focused on advancing the rights of people with disabilities in the United States. Rebecca Cokley leads the new program as Ford’s program officer.

UC Davis Redwood SEED Scholars Program

The Kelsey supported the UC Davis Redwood SEED Scholars Program by designing training modules for Resident Directors and Community Advisors, with the purpose of creating an inclusive-on-campus experience for students with intellectual disabilities.

Finding Disability Pride with Allie and Andraéa

Monday, August 9th, 2021, Isaac interviews colleague Allie Cannington, the Manager of Advocacy and Organizing at the Kelsey and Board Member, Andraéa LaVant, President and Chief Inclusion Consultant at LaVant Consulting to celebrate Disability Pride. In this conversation, we’ll better understand how intersectional identities can shape pride, learn about barriers holding us back, and the role of allies in co-leading efforts alongside people with disabilities.