More disability-friendly houses needed

CHRANZ research says much expenditure on housing modifications by disabled people and the Government is on very basic home alterations such as widening doorways and installing wet area showers – modifications that would be easier and more cost-effective if they were integrated into newly-built and renovated housing.  

Modified houses are frequently not retained in the market or made available to people wanting accessible housing, the research says. Many modifications are simply ripped out.  

There are no systematic mechanisms such as accessible housing registers for modified houses to be identified, retained and advertised.

Copies of the research report and CHRANZ Research Bulletin are available from the CHRANZ website at www.chranz.co.nz