The Atlanta Journal Constitution (11-30-2011) published a piece on the fight for accessibility and Visitability, quoting home builder Christine Fortenberry and activist Eleanor Smith of Concrete Change. Please click here to read more on the AJC website. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Public Broadcasting Service radio station ran a brief story as well. Click here to listen to the PBS piece.

Concrete Change activist Eleanor Smith was awarded a 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award from Emory University, the Rollins School of Public Health and the Goizueta Business School. HSmith of the Congress for the New Urbanism reports on the award:

Concrete Change, a pioneering advocacy organization for those with disabilities, has been awarded with the 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award from Emory University, the Rollins School of Public Health and the Goizueta Business School for its work promoting affordable, accessible integrated housing. Additionally, Eleanor Smith has been awarded with the first Advocacy Award from the disability section of the American Public Health Association. The award will be presented at the APHA conference, October 29th-November 2nd.

Eleanor gained traction within CNU after leading discussions and bringing awareness of the three key tenets of visitability to CNU’s leadership. Visitability is defined as: 36” wide doors, reinforced bathroom walls, and one zero-step entrance. For more on this, please visit the definitions authored by Concrete Change.

Eleanor has had spirited debate on how to provide accessible dwelling units as part of New Urbanism. She has also presented at the 2009 Atlanta Regional Commission’s Lifelong Communities Charrette, where she was able to work on specific designs with Andres Duany and other CNU members. She has also been a frequent presenter at CNU, most recently at CNU 18 in Atlanta.

Congratulations to Eleanor and Concrete Change!