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Only 3% of Valencian buildings are wheelchair accessible from street to home

A report reveals that 97% of residential buildings have architectural barriers, hindering independent living for thousands of Valencians.

Generic image of a wheelchair access ramp in front of a building.
IA

Generic image of a wheelchair access ramp in front of a building.

Only 3% of residential buildings in the Valencian Community offer a completely accessible route from the street to the home's door for wheelchair users, according to the first Accessibility Barometer.

The Fundación Mutua de Propietarios has presented an alarming report highlighting the difficulties faced by over 276,400 Valencians with reduced mobility in accessing their homes. A staggering 97% of buildings present at least one architectural barrier, turning a daily action like entering or leaving home into a significant obstacle course.
Barriers begin even before entering the building: 65% of properties are not accessible from the street to the main entrance, primarily due to a simple step (in 65% of cases). Furthermore, 40% of existing ramps lack handrails, a crucial safety element.
Once inside the building's entrance hall, obstacles persist. 52% of properties are not accessible in this area. Heavy doors or those that close too quickly affect nearly half of cases, and 30% present opening difficulties due to their weight. Problems are also detected with intercom systems, as only 42% are at an adequate height, and three out of five mailboxes are unreachable.
Elevators, which should be a solution, also do not always guarantee accessibility. 14% of Valencian properties lack an elevator, and when present, 43% have an inadequate height difference. Inside, difficulties are even greater: heavy doors (87%), buttons set too high (85%), insufficient closing times (83%), and lack of space (78%). In total, 64% of elevators do not meet physical accessibility criteria for wheelchair use.
The study also reveals a gap in problem perception: individuals without mobility issues rate their building's accessibility at 7.3, while those with difficulties lower it to 5.9. This lack of awareness is compounded by economic factors, as 84% of communities consider adapting their buildings difficult.
The director of Fundación Mutua de Propietarios, Cristina Pallàs, emphasizes the importance of ensuring accessibility: “A free and independent life begins with the most everyday actions: being able to enter and leave home without help.” The entity stresses that, given the aging population, guaranteeing accessible buildings is an essential investment for quality of life.

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