The city of Berkeley has been named the most accessible city by the National Organization on Disability. The University Neighborhood Apartments stand out for NOD as the “first of its kind,” serving as affordable housing for the disabled.

Chicago and San Francisco also came in the top ten, but only Berkeley gets the top prize. The city will receive grants totalling $35,000 ($25K from UPS and $10K from Wal-Mart).

Does it strike anyone else as a bit odd that Berkeley (not to mention San Francisco) is so accessible to disabled people yet incredibly difficult to traverse, especially to the east? Clearly, though, the focus here isn’t walking and it’s really quite an inappropriate point, I admit. Mad props to the city for catering to the disabled’s needs. Their rights and difficulties are often neglected, and it shows what an open community Berkeley has in making them feel comfortable and welcome.