Accessible Independent Housing for People with Disabilities: A Scoping Review of Promising Practices, Policies and Interventions

Background: Accessible housing is imperative to enabling independent living for many people with disabilities; yet, research consistently shows how people with disabilities often lack appropriate accessible housing and are more likely to experience unaffordable, insecure, and/or poor quality housing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand promising practices, policies and interventions regarding accessible independent housing for people with disabilities.

Methods: We conducted a scoping review that involved searching seven international literature databases that identified 4831 studies, 60 of which met our inclusion criteria.

Results: The reviewed studies involved 18 countries over a 20-year period. Our review highlighted the following key trends: (1) removing barriers to obtaining accessible housing (e.g., advocacy, builders enhancing housing supply, subsidies and financial incentives); (2) policies influencing accessible housing; (3) interventions to enhance accessible housing (i.e., home modifications, smart homes, mobile applications and other experimental devices); and (4) the impact of accessible independent housing on health and wellbeing.

Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the importance of accessible housing for people with disabilities and the urgent need to advance accessible housing options.