Local Service Leads the Way Nationally in Identifying Accessible Housing

December 8th, 2005

I had a recent opportunity to hear a presentation by Cathie Ross, an energetic visionary who has made huge investment in an issue that will eventually affect all of us in some way or another—namely, how to address the needs of impaired or disabled individuals who wish to own their homes and live as independently as possible.

Cathie is a president of a local mortgage company (The Mortgage Group) who identified an un-met need in the local real estate market back in 2000. Homes with accessibility features have been nearly impossible to detect in the multiple listing service, which meant real estate agents were forced to preview each property in advance to determine suitability for their disabled clients. With the baby boomer generation aging, Cathie saw an growing need for improving the quality of information and resources for this segment of the population.

With that in mind, Cathie created Bridges to Mobility™,

“a free consulting service for clients looking to either purchase a home or make adaptations to their existing residences that emphasize mobility and accessibility. Established in 2000, we have compiled a Resource Directory of progressive Real Estate Agents, Contractors, and Services Providers who have the knowledge and skills to promote and deliver specialized products and services.” (from the Bridges to Mobility website)

With her sheer energy and persuasive power, Cathie rounded up support from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, secured a federal HUD grant, and eventually convinced the local multiple listing board to modify the listings database to better reflect the accessibility features of each property. She is now in the awareness and training phase of the project, delivering presentations to real estate companies and encouraging them to include accessibility information in their listing information.

In partnership with local web development company HomeSearch One, Inc., Cathie has also created an accessible housing portal or website, www.homebridge.org. Local real estate companies (like Advanced Real Estate Services) are signing up to support this project by having their accessible home listings also shown on the HomeBridge site. These listings are available to the public and are searchable by community, price, and other criteria.

Accessibility features that agents can identify when listing a property for sale include one level construction, bathroom size, cabinet heights, wide hallways and doors, availability of caregiver quarters, elevators, ramps, or stair assistance devices, and more.

If you or someone you know is impaired or disabled and is in the market for independent living situation, check out www.homebridge.org for available homes. It is a great resource and the number of qualified properties will only increase as the local real estate market becomes more aware of this new service.

Cathie’s efforts, in tandem with Fair Housing Council, have helped identify Oregon as the national leader in creating fair housing opportunities for all individuals with disabilities. For more information on Bridges to Mobility™ and their services, contact:

Cathie Ross, President
Bridges to Mobility, Inc. (and The Mortgage Group)
(503) 780-9270
www.bridgestomobility.com

Property Search: www.homebridge.org

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