National Association of Home Builders

Fair Housing Act Accessibility App

About NAHB

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) represents the largest network of craftsmen, innovators and problem solvers dedicated to building and enriching communities. Operating at the local, state and national levels, NAHB helps its 140,000 members gain a competitive advantage through education, networking, and advocacy.

Founded in 1942, NAHB strives to protect the American Dream of housing opportunities for all, while working to achieve professional success for its members who build communities, create jobs and strengthen our economy.

Challenge & Solution

An educational grant was awarded to NAHB by the United State Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program, for the creation of an App to help home builders, contractors and designers meet the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

I led a team from the NAHB Senior Council through a content audit and card sorting exercise develop the strategy for App’s information architecture, in addition to outlining the user mapping. This effort included consolidating the more than 300-page FHA Design Manual into quick-reference material and the creation of an interactive questionnaire that provided guidance to users about accessibility compliance. I lead the design and development teams on the project to establish the full user interface. The final App product is a free, simplified pocket guide that can be used in the field by builders to quickly access FHA construction requirements.

Access the app on Apple App Store

Access the app on Google Play

Results

Launched in January 2020 on the Apple and Google app stores, the App has already had hundreds of downloads, and has been a well received tool for NAHB members (who build approximately 80% of new homes constructed in the United States) and the general public.

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