anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA), passed by Congress on July 26, 1990. The. ADA is a civil-rights law protecting the rights of individuals ...
Disability Compliance Bi-Monthly Newsletter The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP)
Employment
• The individual has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. • The individual has a history or record of such an impairment. • The individual is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
Governmental Activities
is commemorating the twenty-fifth (25th) anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed by Congress on July 26, 1990. The ADA is a civil-rights law protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities, establishing standards for accessibility and accommodation in public spaces and in the workplace. According to the ADA, an individual is disabled if the following applies:
The ADA is comprised of five (5) titled categories. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, governmental activities, transportation, public accommodation, and telecommunication.
Often employers influence their hiring, promotion, and wage allotments with their personal opinions or prejudices against a certain group. The ADA aims to prevent employers from discriminating against qualified applicants with disabilities. It restricts questions pertaining to the applicants’ disabilities and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants.
The ADA requires that state and local governments provide individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to access and participate in their programs, services, and activities. State and local governments are to comply with specific architectural standards to ensure the building is accessible. Older buildings that do not comply with the regulation must relocate their program to an accessible building or modify the building to accommodate suitability for all.
Telecommunications Telephones have a substantial impact on our lives and help facilitate communication among people. However, previously the hearing impaired did not have easy access to that convenient luxury. The ADA addresses telephone access for people with hearing and speech disabilities. Telephone companies are required to provide telecommunication relay service (TRS), which allows individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech or language disabilities to communicate effectively, by telephone.
Transportation Public buses and rails offer an alternative form of transportation. Previously, the alternative was not often available for individuals with disabilities and therefore, prevented access for those with a disability. Today, the ADA prohibits public transportation services from discriminating against individuals with disabilities in the provision of their services. They are required to provide accommodations to wheelchair and other accessible vehicles, and to include the re-manufacture of buses to ensure compliance. This summer, you may have noticed Port Authority of Allegheny County buses wrapped in the ADA 25th anniversary logo as a reminder that accessible public transportation is one of their most significant accomplishments.
Public Accommodations Public accommodations are classified as businesses opened to the public to include, restaurants, retail stores, movie theaters, schools, and medical offices. Public accommodations are prohibited from discriminating against the disabled. They must comply with specific, architectural standards to ensure their establishment is accessible.
HACP and the ADA The HACP is committed to addressing the needs of persons with disabilities and ensuring the Agency is in compliance with the regulations, as set forth by the ADA. Therefore, the HACP will not prohibit or exclude any, qualified individual with a disability. HACP has strived to make modifications to our properties in an effort to allow for more accessibility for individuals with disabilities. In the spirit of the ADA, the HACP has completed a modernization program to make all HACP facilities compliant with HUD’s Section 504 standards. Today, HACP has over 375 wheelchair accessible apartments and homes and will continue to pursue additional, housing opportunities for people with disabilities. In addition to ensuring accessibility to our residents and applicants, HACP’s Disability Compliance Office has provided the opportunity for anyone to request a reasonable accommodation and facilitates that process throughout the year primarily for HACP housing initiatives which include, the Low Income Public Housing (LIPH) and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Programs. The Disability Compliance Office also attends regular meetings and discussions pertaining to the ADA which involve how to make the city and county more accessible for all persons with disabilities. The HACP is proud to acknowledge and celebrate this milestone, the 25th Anniversary of the ADA, as we continue our efforts and work toward a future of equal opportunity for everyone.
www.hacp.org
Disability Compliance Office Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor Pittsburgh, Pa 15219 OFF: 412-456-5282, Ext. 2 TTY: 412-201-5384 FAX: 412-456-5007
