STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island real estate comes in a variety of shapes and sizes: Colonial, ranch, split-level or Tudor, each property is equipped with different levels of charm. But for the most part, only a small fraction of borough houses were built with accessibility in mind. Doorways are aesthetically narrow, staircases are steep and bathrooms and bedrooms are almost universally located on the second floor. For the aging baby boomer population, those details are a developing problem.
“Of the 115 million housing units in the United States in 2011 … only 11 million housing units (or about 10% of homes) were aging-ready,” a 2020 Census Bureau report noted, defining a step-free entryway, a bedroom and full bathroom on the first floor, and at least one bathroom accessibility feature as necessary amenities for those 65-and-over.
