1. Co-develop a Methodology for Assessing Person-Environment Fit

Purpose:

To create a comprehensive, evidence-informed tool that captures the relationship between a person’s functional ability and the design characteristics of their living space and surrounding neighborhood.

What’s being done:

• Literature review of accessibility standards and past assessment frameworks (e.g., RHFAC, Housing Enabler).

• Co-development of a conceptual framework in collaboration with:

  • Persons with lived experience of disability

  • Community advocacy organizations

  • Built environment professionals and accessibility experts

• Consideration of subjective lived experiences as equally important as objective physical measures.

Focus:

The tool will not just be a checklist but a composite method informed by:

• Lived experiences (interviews)

• Audit-style spatial data (measurements, observations)

• Accessibility best practices and universal design principles