How accessible is Tucson, Arizona?
What is accessibility? The Small Business Administration has done a good job explaining the basic requirements for accessibility in this U.S. ADA Accessible Guide for Small Businesses.
A fair warning: If I began filing a plethora of lawsuits against neighborhood businesses for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it's only because the local governments have refused to enforce the accessibility requirements in their own building code (International Building Code) which contains requirements from the ADA..
The ADA has been in place for many years and it has become doubtful that I'll be able to wait long enough to be able to go into a neighborhood business without the expection of discrimination based on disability. Nevertheless, it's also likely that I'll still have plenty of time to file a lot of lawsuits. That's Plan B.
Links
International
- United Nations enable — "The United Nations Programme on Disabilities works to assist in the promotion of effective measures for prevention of disability, rehabilitation, and the realization of the goals of full participation of disabled persons in social life and development, and of equality."
United States
- ADA Accessible Guide for Small Businesses [pdf] — At U.S. Small Business Administration.
- U.S. Department of Justice ADA Home Page
- ADA Regulations for Title III (Public Accommodations)
(Enforceable by DOJ)
- ADA Regulations, Part 36, Appendix A, ¶ 4.6 Parking and Passenger Loading Zones
- ADA Regulations for Title III (Public Accommodations)
(Enforceable by DOJ)
- U.S. Access Board Proposed Guidelines
(Not Enforceable by DOJ)
- ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities
- 208 Parking Spaces
- The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) generally applies to private sector facilities and state and local government facilities.
- The ABA (Archetectural Barriers Act) applies to federally funded facilities.
- ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities
Arizona
- Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities— "Serving as the Americans with Disabilities 'ADA' Coordinator for the State of Arizona"
- Arizona Revised Statutes [New Window] — no description available from Website
- Arizona Administrative Code [New Window] — "Secretary of State, Jan Brewer"
Pima County
- Pima County Human Resources Department— Contact Christine Molina to file complaints about ADA greivances against an employer, organization, institution or business entity within the Pima County limits..
- Pima County Code — Code of ordinances of Pima County
- Pima County Development Services [New Window] — Pima County Development Services
- Pima County Building Code Amendments [New Window] — "Pima County Development Services, through its knowledgeable, friendly and helpful employees,protects and enhances public health, safety, and welfare, and promotes the sound stewardship of the natural and built environment by providing high quality, fiscally responsible, and timely land use planning, development review and permitting services."
Tucson
- Office of Equal Opportunity Programs, ADA— "The City of Tucson is committed to ensuring that the terms and conditions mandated by the ADA are enforced within the City’s level of authority and within its jurisdiction."
- Tucson Commission on Disability Issues — City of Tucson, city government information
- Tucson Development Services — For building codes, look for Codes and Ordinances, Land Use & Building Codes, Procedures & Enforcement. Check library for actual code.
- Code, City of Tucson— [requires cookies] commercial Website The Tucson city code of ordinances.
Disability Rights Movement
- The Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement [new window], UC Berkeley
Independent
- Van Accessible Parking.org
- "Dedicated to improving the 'usability' of van accessible disabled parking spaces through research and education."