The Kelsey Co-Authors Op-ed for The Washington Post: How elevator rules are throwing a wrench into America’s housing market

A screenshot of an article from The Washington Post. An illustration of a person in a wheelchair waiting at an elevator glowing with light, surrounded by high, steep concrete staircases in a dark blue, geometric architectural space. Layered over the right side of the image, the headline reads: "Opinion: How elevator rules are throwing a wrench into America’s housing market. The unintended consequences of a 1988 law are making housing less accessible and driving up prices."

“Less than 6 percent of housing is accessible to the more than 30 million American adults with mobility disabilities.” 

When we exclude elevators from apartment buildings, we effectively exclude millions of people from our neighborhoods. Our Managing Director, Allie, is in The Washington Post today alongside Stephen Jacob Smith, Executive Director of The Center for Building in North America, explaining this often-overlooked barrier to housing for people with disabilities.

Right now, federal rules make it extremely difficult and expensive to install elevators in small apartment buildings. These “missing middle” homes are supposed to be affordable places to live, but without elevators, they become inaccessible to people with mobility disabilities. 

By updating these rules, we can unlock thousands of affordable, accessible homes and ensure disabled people aren’t excluded from their own communities.

Solving the housing crisis isn’t just about building more – it’s about building for everyone. Accessibility and affordability must, and can, go together. 

Click here to read the full article.