The AODA does not yet include standards governing the housing sector. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends new standards in various sectors, and suggests guidelines for future housing standards. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessible housing. Future AODA housing standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make people’s homes more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal housing standards for accessible closets in housing.
Accessible Closets in Housing
Closets within or outside bedrooms should be reachable through accessible paths of travel, and must have lighting. While some people prefer doors on their closets, other people prefer closets without doors. As a result, doors should be easy to remove. Moreover, door handles should comply with requirements for home controls. For example, lever door handles are more accessible for many people than doorknobs.
In addition, each closet should have at least one (1) shelf or hanging rod. However, additional hanging rods at different heights allow people to store longer clothing, such as dresses. The standards provide measurements for stationary shelves or hanging rods. Alternatively, like storage space in kitchens, shelves or hanging rods in closets can be pulled down manually or electronically. Likewise, drawers for more storage can have soft-close mechanisms.
Finally, some closets should have enough space for people to store their assistive devices, such as:
- Wheelchairs
- Walkers
- Scooters
For example, someone may own multiple devices and use them at different times or for different reasons. Similarly, people may also need closet space to store devices that improve bathroom accessibility, such as:
- Shower chairs
- Commode chairs
- Transfer benches