Core Argument - The current disaster recovery system disproportionately disadvantages vulnerable populations, exacerbating displacement and inequality [6][7][8][9] - A "universal design" approach to disaster recovery is proposed, prioritizing the needs of the most at-risk residents, specifically tenants and Black homeowners [3][10][16][17] - Universal design focuses on people instead of property or profit [9] Proposed Solutions - Short-term: Implement a universal basic income program and an insurance gap program to stabilize tenants and homeowners [18][19] - Medium-term: Land banking through a community land trust, policy protections, and resident-focused rebuilding [20][21] - Long-term: Community ownership to ensure permanent stability, affordability, and protection against gentrification [21][22] Data & Statistics - 91% of tenants were underinsured or completely uninsured [11] - 72% of tenants still need housing [12] - 78% of tenants cannot afford a market-rate one-bedroom apartment in surrounding areas [12] - Black homeowners in West Altadena are experiencing the highest rates of post-disaster pressure from outside buyers [14] Call to Action - Government, philanthropy, friends, and neighbors are urged to support and fund the proposed universal design recovery [23][24] - Stakeholders should prioritize the needs of tenants and West Altadena homeowners in all recovery plans [24]

Accessibility & Universal Design - The speaker advocates for a shift from treating accessibility as special accommodations to recognizing it as a catalyst for innovation [8][9] - Universal design aims to create spaces, technologies, and communication forms accessible to anyone who wants to use them [10] - The "curb-cut effect" illustrates how disability-friendly features benefit a much larger group than initially intended [13][14] - The speaker highlights the limitations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), noting it hasn't been revised since 1990, predating modern internet and mobile technology [15][16] - The Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay those with disabilities as little as 25 cents an hour, a practice exploited by over 700 companies in the United States in 2025 [18] Mindset & Innovation - The speaker contrasts a "compliance mindset," which seeks the bare minimum to avoid violating the ADA, with a "possibility mindset," which sees accessibility as a source of innovation [20][26] - The speaker suggests that designing with universal design in mind from the beginning can lead to better jobs, schools, health, and economy [23] Personal Experience - The speaker shares a personal experience of receiving a life-changing medical diagnosis and the subsequent challenges and insights gained [4][5][7] - The speaker lost sight in the right eye and hearing in the right ear, but gained an unexpected insight about accessibility [7]