As a property or business owner in the State, the onus falls on you to ensure that your property can be accessible by disabled people. This is the chief purpose of the American Disabilities Act. And this is not an issue to be taken lightly. Property owners have been served with million-dollar lawsuits that have brought their business to their knees. Don’t add your booming business to that statistic. For the best ADA compliance specialist, hire here. This is the only way you can serve your customers or tenants without any fear or worry.
The provisions of the ADA
The ADA’s main purpose is to impede the discrimination of disabled people. The main provision in the ADA is in Title III. It states that all businesses should provide sufficient and necessary accommodations for people with disabilities. These ‘accommodations’ should be on par with those of the general public. What this means is that what a normal person enjoys on your premises, a disabled person should also enjoy.
There are three general provisions that put forth by Title III of the ADA:
- On existing facilities. The ADA recommends that all barriers (architectural, communication, and what not) that are structural in nature should be removed. This may come in the form of installing a ramp or rearranging the interior of your business or property.
- New constructions. Any new construction to your building will affect the usability of it by disabled people. Such changes or alterations must be done in a manner that maximizes the usage of your property by the disabled.
- Auxiliary services. Without causing any undue burden to the landlord and the tenants, the ADA requires that there should be provided some additional aids to the disabled. This could be in the form of large print materials for those with visual impairments or ramps for those who use wheelchairs.
How to improve your ADA compliance?
The first step on the road to ADA compliance would be to be acquainted with the American Disabilities Act. You should also know that the regulations of the ADA are subject to the year to which your property was built.
With the above information, you can appreciate the magnitude of the task. ADA compliance can be a hard, arduous and delicate task; especially when you consider that you have to survey both indoor and outdoor areas. If you’re relying on the knowledge you have gained from perusing the ADA, you are bound to miss out on something. What we recommend is hiring a certified access specialist, also commonly known as a CASp. Their experience and knowledge of the industry will ensure that every doorway, entrance, walkway, and elevator conforms to the current ADA regulations.
Landlords can add a provision within the lease that passes on the responsibility of ADA compliance to the tenant. However, it doesn’t completely release him or her from the burden of care.