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Q.
What is the ADA?
A. The
Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed by
Congress and signed into law
in July 1990 by President George H.W.
Bush. It protects people with disabilities
against discrimination in almost every area
of their lives: employment, education,
access to businesses, transportation,
government services and programs and public
rights of way.
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Q. How do I file a
complaint if I think a business is not
accessible to people with a disability?
A. For City of Santa
Monica buildings, services and programs,
contact the City’s
ADA Coordinator,
Janet Hand. Click
here for a copy of the City’s
Policy of
Non-Discrimination on the Basis of
Disability. You may also
file a complaint with the
Department of
Justice at any time. For privately owned
businesses, some complaints can be directed
to the
City Attorney’s Office, Consumer
Rights Unit.
These include: service animals denied
access, lack of accommodations accessible to
people who use a wheelchair and refusing to
assist a person with a disability in
accessing services, and products and areas of a
business where people without a disability
have access. For complaints about physical
access to a business, including accessible
parking, you may contact the
Building and
Safety Division.
A complaint may also be filed with the
Department of Justice, before complaining to
the City, during the process or after the
complaint is resolved by the City.
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Q. I want to install a
ramp at my apartment because I can’t get up
and down the steps anymore. Do I need the
landlord’s permission to have it put in?
A. Under the
ADA
a landlord is required to allow a tenant
with a disability to modify a rental unit at
the tenant’s expense. The landlord is
allowed to require that the tenant return
the property to its original condition upon
moving out, and/or to deposit an amount
equal to the estimated cost of removing the
modifications into an escrow account. The
landlord can also require that the work be
done by a licensed contractor.
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Q. I have a complaint
about a City of Santa Monica program, based
on my disability. How do I file the
complaint?
A. As required by the
ADA, the City of Santa Monica has a formal
and informal
complaint/grievance process. Complaints of
discrimination on the basis of disability
can also be filed before, at the same time
as, or after the City’s process, with the
Department of Justice.
The staff at the
Westside Center for
Independent Living (WCIL) are available to assist you
with filing complaints. For complaints
against the City of Santa Monica, the City’s
ADA Coordinator is also available to assist.
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Q. I think my employer
is discriminating against me at work. How
can I file a complaint?
A. Complaints of work
place discrimination on the basis of
disability can be addressed to the
California Fair Employment and Housing
Department or the
Equal Employment and Opportunity
Commission (EEOC).
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Q. I have a disability
and I need help finding a new place to live
and moving--what can I do?
A. The
Westside
Center for Independent Living has housing specialists who
can work with you to help you search. They
can also help you identify resources to help
with the move.
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Q. My mother, who has a
placard from the DMV, has trouble finding
parking near her apartment. Can I get a
portion of the curb in front of her building
painted blue?
A. In Santa Monica, you
may contact the
Transportation Management
Division at (310)
458-8291 to request a blue curb. Anyone
with a disabled person placard from the DMV
may park in a blue curb space, however, not
just the resident who requested it.
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Q. I have a disabled
person placard from the DMV--can I park at a
meter during posted street sweeping times?
A. State-issued
disabled person placards do not exempt the
owner from posted no-parking zones or
times. If you get a ticket, follow the
instructions on the ticket for contesting
it. Remember that the placard must be
properly displayed (hanging from the rear
view mirror, per the
California Dept. of
Motor Vehicles)
when you park, or you cannot take advantage
of the benefits associated with it.
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Q. Where can I go for
more resources on disability services?
A.
Living
Independently in L.A. (LILA) has
listings for many resources in the great Los
Angeles area. For information on Santa
Monica and Westside agencies and other
resources, go to our
Links &
Service Guides page. The
Westside
Center for Independent Living (WCIL)
can also provide
resources and referrals for services for
people with a disability. An agency that
covers all of Los Angeles County,
Info
Line has
referrals to social service agencies, based
on your needs. They operate 24 hours a day
and can be reached by dialing 2-1-1 or (800)
548-6047.
Q. Are service animals
required to have a special license or
certification?
A. No--all that’s
required is that they be individually
trained to perform a task or tasks for a
person with a disability that the person
cannot do for one's self. While California state law
requires local animal control officials to
provide a method of certifying service
animals, a service animal owner
is
not required to do so. The Santa Monica
Animal
Control Section
tests service animals and issues
certifications to Santa Monica residents.
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Q. I own a restaurant
and state and county health and safety
regulations prohibit animals in
restaurants. Do I have to admit service
animals like seeing eye dogs?
A. Yes. Service animals
are allowed in establishments that serve
food, including restaurants, grocery stores
and convenience stores.
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