News — ADA Violations

A group of federal lawmakers is requesting an investigation into accessibility at the nation's schools. Members of Congress are asking for a federal investigation into whether schools across the country are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Nearly thirty years after passage of the landmark disability rights law, three lawmakers are asking the Government Accountability Office to find out if the nation’s schools are as accessible as they should be. “Students with disabilities, from New York City to coastal Virginia and all across the country, are entitled to a ‘free, appropriate public education’ under the Individuals with Disabilities Education...

Since September, a San Diego man has filed nine lawsuits against properties hosting unpermitted marijuana storefronts, alleging landlords are discriminating against disabled customers. Illegal storefronts likely have a higher incentive to settle such suits rather go to court, which would make their existence much more conspicuous. Karel Spikes wanted to buy marijuana. He just couldn’t get his wheelchair through the door. Since September, the San Diego-based entertainer has filed nine civil rights lawsuits against properties hosting unpermitted marijuana storefronts. Citing state and federal disability laws, Spikes alleges that the landlords are discriminating against people like him because they haven’t provided...

Illegal pot shops around the county tend to pop up faster than authorities can shut them down. But even when a business is operating without a permit, it’s still supposed to adhere to laws aimed at providing access to the disabled. One disabled San Diego resident has targeted nine illegal storefronts so far with lawsuits alleging they discriminated against him by not providing him proper access, VOSD’s Jesse Marx reports. Some of the shops have opted to pay the man to settle, rather than risk being dragged into court, where their existence would become much more visible. One landlord, though, is fighting the...

By Janne Flisrand       Janne Flisrand spends her time thinking about how people interact with the space around them. Why do they (or don't they) walk or bike or shop somewhere? How do spaces feel? Why do people sit here and not there? Why bus instead of bike, bike instead of drive? What sorts of spaces build community, and what sorts kills it? Can spaces build civic trust and engagement? Does ADA Even Apply to Sidewalks? I live just off Franklin, and have regularly bussed and biked along it for decades. One day many years ago, I was surprised to...