A movement for homes that welcome everyone

Because every home
should welcome EVERYONE.

Three simple, low-cost design features transform any house into a visitable home for life.

Download Free Checklist Explore the 3 Features
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Join thousands advocating for visitable homes

Single-story visitable home with zero-step entrance, wide driveway, and beautiful landscaping.

Zero-step entry • 32" doors • Accessible bath

The three simple features that change everything.

60-SECOND STORY

Building for the Future.

"When someone builds a home, they're not just building it for themselves — that home's going to be around for 100 years," Concrete Change founder Eleanor Smith told The New York Times. "These things hurt nobody — and they help a lot of other people."

Universal access benefits the homeowner with increased resale value. Furthermore, it strengthens neighborhoods and cities as it builds community where everyone is Known, Valued, and Included.

Download the Free Checklist (PDF)

One Zero-Step Entrance • Wide Doorways • Main-Floor Bathroom

Continue the story — How Visitability stops physical redlining
PHYSICAL REDLINING

The lines aren't drawn with red ink anymore.

Decades ago, redlining locked families out of neighborhoods with a pen. Today the lines are built with wood, brick, and concrete. For millions of Americans with physical disabilities, a single step is an invisible fence.

Visitability tears that fence down with three simple, inexpensive features: a zero-step entrance, wider doors, and a main-floor bathroom. It is not a luxury — it is a right.

Download the Free Checklist

Help end physical redlining in new construction.

1 in 5

Americans will experience
mobility challenges in their lifetime

<$800

Additional cost for new construction
(often recovered at resale)

100+

Years a well-built home lasts.
Design it right the first time.

Over 1 in 7

of the U.S. population lives with a disability.
They deserve welcoming homes.

THE BASICS

What is Visitability?

Visitability means designing single-family homes so that people with mobility limitations — including wheelchair users, older adults, and families with strollers — can easily visit and, in many cases, live comfortably on the main floor.

It focuses on three practical, inexpensive features that make homes welcoming for everyone, today and for generations to come.

CORE FEATURES

The Anatomy of a Visitable Home

Three simple features. Massive impact on dignity, independence, and community.

01

Zero-Step Entry

At least one entrance with no steps

Beautiful zero-step entrance with a wide concrete walkway leading to an open wooden front door, no steps.

A no-step entrance allows everyone — including wheelchair users, people with walkers, parents with strollers, and delivery drivers — to enter the home safely and independently.

View Detailed Specifications

Best practice: Maximum 1:12 slope for ramps. Covered entry preferred.

Minimum clear width: 36" at door. 32" clear opening when door is open 90°.

Landing: Minimum 5' x 5' level landing at top and bottom of any ramp.

Cost impact: Often $0–$300 when planned during initial construction.

02

Wider Doorways

32 inches of clear passage

Wide interior doorways with clear passage through a bright living room, showing spacious openings between rooms.

All main floor doorways should provide at least 32 inches of clear passage width when the door is open 90 degrees. This allows wheelchair users and people with mobility aids to move freely through the home.

View Detailed Specifications

Recommended: 36" doors throughout the main floor for true usability.

Clear width: Measured from the face of the door to the stop on the opposite jamb.

Hardware: Lever-style handles (not round knobs) are strongly recommended.

Cost impact: Usually $0–$150 per door when specified early.

03

Accessible Bathroom

On the main floor

Stylish main-floor accessible bathroom with teal tile, clear floor space, and enough room for a mobility device.

A bathroom on the main floor that is usable by someone in a wheelchair. This allows visitors and residents to stay longer and age in place with dignity.

View Detailed Specifications

Minimum dimensions: 30" x 48" clear floor space in front of toilet and sink.

Door: 32" clear opening. Out-swing or pocket door preferred in small bathrooms.

Grab bars: Blocking installed in walls behind and beside toilet (even if bars not installed initially).

Cost impact: $200–$800 when planned at construction (much higher if retrofitted later).

These three features create homes that work for everyone — from toddlers to great-grandparents.

Multi-generational family gathered in a bright, open living room — grandparents, parents, and young children sharing time together in a home designed for everyone.
AGING IN PLACE

Aging in Place.
Community Inclusion.

Visitability is more than accessible design—it's a philosophy that recognizes housing as a fundamental human right. By incorporating three simple, cost-effective features, we create homes that welcome everyone, regardless of age or ability.

These features allow older adults to age gracefully in their own homes, enable people with disabilities to visit friends and family, and ensure that temporary injuries don't isolate us from our communities.

The beauty of visitability lies in its simplicity. When integrated during initial construction, these features add minimal cost while delivering immeasurable social value. They transform houses into truly inclusive spaces where everyone belongs.

Join the movement for inclusive homes
LONG-TERM VALUE

Homes built for 100 years should welcome everyone for 100 years.

A visitable home isn't just more inclusive — it's smarter real estate. These features increase marketability, support aging in place, reduce future renovation costs, and strengthen communities.

"When someone builds a home, they’re not just building it for themselves — that home’s going to be around for 100 years."
— Eleanor Smith, founder of Concrete Change
  • Higher resale value and broader buyer pool
  • Supports aging in place without expensive retrofits
  • Keeps families and communities connected
  • Reduces risk of isolation for people with disabilities

Who Benefits Most?

Wheelchair users and people with mobility disabilities
Older adults who want to age in place
Families with young children and strollers
Delivery drivers, caregivers, and visitors
FREE TOOLS

Equip Your Coalition

Practical resources for homeowners, builders, policymakers, and advocates.

For Homeowners

Assess your current home and plan for the future. Download the Visitable Home Checklist.

For Builders & Developers

Floor plans, specifications, and cost-benefit information for incorporating visitability from day one.

For Policymakers

Model ordinances, policy guides, and evidence showing how visitability benefits communities.

For Advocates & Coalitions

Campaign toolkits, talking points, social media graphics, and templates to grow the movement locally.

Open Threshold Alliance

A dedicated initiative working to make visitability the standard in new home construction through advocacy, education, and policy change.

Visit the Open Threshold Alliance Page →

Ready to make every home visitable?

Join the Open Threshold Alliance. Whether you're a homeowner, builder, policymaker, or advocate — there's a role for you.

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Every home built today is a legacy for tomorrow.

Start with the checklist. Share it with your builder, your city council, or your family.