LI development must include accessibility for those with disabilities

As Long Island enters a new era of development, inclusion must be nonnegotiable — not an afterthought.

From the Midway Crossing project in Ronkonkoma to revitalization efforts in Hempstead Village and mixed-use plans in Lynbrook, the region is being reshaped. These projects promise housing, jobs, and economic energy — but in the rush to modernize, we risk reinforcing the same barriers that have long excluded people with disabilities, older adults, and others from full community participation.

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act is too often treated as a finish line rather than a floor. Curb cuts blocked by signage, ramps added as afterthoughts, and public buildings without accessible entrances are all symptoms of a deeper problem: Inclusion is not the default. And yet, disability is a part of every community. It exists on a continuum, fluctuates across a lifetime, and affects nearly everyone at some point, whether due to illness, injury, age, or circumstance.

Recent audits from the New York State Comptroller’s Office confirm that even the most basic aspects of accessibility are routinely neglected. In the Village of Floral Park, auditors found 83 areas needing improvement across public facilities, including an inaccessible main entrance to Village Hall. The Town of Brookhaven was cited for lacking ramps and automatic doors. In Long Beach, inspectors flagged noncompliant parking and inaccessible restrooms.

These aren’t isolated lapses — they reflect a widespread failure to design with all residents in mind. Too often, decisions about access are made by nondisabled officials who assume they understand what disabled people need. But assumptions, however well-intended, are not solutions. Lived expertise matters. Disabled individuals must be at the table from the beginning, helping to design what works — not simply pointing out what doesn’t.

As new development reshapes Long Island, we have a rare chance to do better. That means embedding universal design in planning processes, requiring accessibility impact assessments, and shifting from compliance-based thinking to equity-based action.

This isn’t just about building more — it’s about building smarter, more inclusive, and more just. Accessibility is not a luxury. It is a baseline requirement for civic participation, independence, and dignity. Long Island can lead the way — but only if everyone is included from the start.

This guest essay reflects the views of Nadia Holubnyczyj-Ortiz, of Floral Park, a disability inclusion consultant and founder of a firm dedicated to advancing accessibility, universal design, and inclusive policies and procedures across Long Island.