The National Organization on Disability, based in Washington,
has chosen Berkeley, Calif., as the winner of its sixth annual
Accessible America Contest. Chicago was selected as runner-up.
According to NOD, the two cities are “national models for
innovative programs to promote community inclusion of people with
disabilities.”
NOD says Berkeley's best practices included the nation's first
universally designed affordable housing development, a
comprehensive transportation program, an outstanding emergency
preparedness plan for people with disabilities and a self-imposed
tax to fund some of their disability services.
Berkeley was commended for programs that subsidized rides for
people returning from medical appointments, promoted artists with
disabilities and created internships and mentorships for youth with
disabilities to help include them in the workforce.
Chicago was chosen for an assortment of programs that help
people with disabilities get involved in community life. The city
rewrote its building code to mandate adaptability and visitability
requirements in privately and governmentally owned and financed
units; created a mayoral task force on employment of people with
disabilities; and devised a certification program for businesses
owned by people with disabilities.
Berkeley will receive a prize of $25,000 and, as runner-up,
Chicago will receive $10,000. The award money, provided by contest
sponsors UPS and Wal-Mart, will be presented to the mayor in each
of the winning cities at upcoming ceremonies and is intended to
fund local disability-related efforts.
Other finalists in the 2006 contest, judged by five national
disability experts, were Alexandria, Va.; Bloomington, Ind.;
Indianapolis; Louisville, Ky.; Miami Beach, Fla.; New Haven, Conn.;
San Francisco; and Sioux Falls, S.D.
NOD says Accessible America applicants “demonstrate an
extraordinary commitment to giving their citizens with disabilities
equal opportunities to participate in community life, including
access to jobs, education, religious worship, voting,
transportation, housing, emergency preparedness planning and
services.”
The Accessible America Contest is intended to promote
replication of best practices in all of these areas nationwide. The
contest is sponsored by corporate grants and is administered by
NOD's Community Partnership Program, which was started to help
communities become disability-friendly.
Previous Accessible America winners include Cambridge, Mass.;
Venice, Fla.; Irvine, Calif.; Phoenix; and Pasadena, Calif.
Honorable mentions have gone to Austin, Texas, and West Hollywood,
Calif.
10 Most Popular Travel Destinations
Where do adults with disabilities commonly travel for leisure or
business within the continental U.S.? According to the latest
statistics available from the Open Doors Organization (released in
conjunction with the Travel Industry Association of America and
Harris Interactive), the following cities get the top nod:
1. New York City
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Chicago
4. (tie) Las Vegas
(tie) Orlando
(tie) Los Angeles
7. San Francisco
8. Atlanta
9. Dallas
10. San Diego
