The classes, which expand upon the county’s Universal Design and Visitability incentive program for builders, will highlight the importance of making homes more functional and accessible for people of all ages and abilities, and offer simple steps to make that a reality.SARASOTA COUNTY – Homeowners, designers and others looking for simple steps to make homes more livable for aging and disabled individuals are invited to new classes being offered by Sarasota County Government and the non-profit Universal Design Coalition.
“Sarasota County offers builders an incentive to build age-friendly homes, but we also want to be sure residents know how to make their existing homes safer and more comfortable to live in into the future,” said Lee Hayes Byron, the county’s sustainability manager.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly a third of Sarasota County’s residents are at least age 65, and just less than half of county households have at least one member age 65 or older. Additionally, almost 60,000 county residents – or roughly one in six – have some type of disability.
Representatives from Sarasota County UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability and the Universal Design Coalition will conduct two classes, each open to the public.
- March 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: North Port Library, 13800 S. Tamiami Trail, North Port. NOTE: Registration required via Eventbrite.com.
- April 12, 4-5 p.m.: Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtis Ave., Sarasota. NOTE: Registration required via Eventbrite.com.
For more information, visit Sarasota County’s Universal Design Web page or easyuniversaldesign.com, call 941-861-5000, or email sustainablesarasota@scgov.net.
Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities.
View the complete policy at www.scgov.net/ADA/Pages/default.aspx.