mark handler
SAWHORSE
Aug 18, 2011
Disabled advocacy group responds to critics
“I never said you have to hire my services,” said Brower.
http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Disabled_advocacy__group_responds_to_critics__128038538.html
“If 9,000 businesses in South Bend have to go to court to comply so be it, but that’s not my desire by any means.”
Posted: 6:14 PM Aug 18, 2011
Reporter: Mark Peterson
Email Address: mpeterson@wndu.com
The South Bend area business community is being pressured like never before to comply with the A.D.A., or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“In California, they’re doing, they’re doing very well with it and they’ve moved it inland, so it’s time that it got here, took it 21 years but it is here now and we’re not going away,” said Ruby Brower with the National Advocacy for A.D.A. Compliant Businesses (NAACB).
Earlier this week, News Center 16 talked to some business owners who were upset with the tactics of the advocacy group.
Today, two members of the local NAACB chapter offered comments in rebuttal.
The NAACB has been going door to door—business to business—citing alleged A.D.A. violations on forms that “guarantee” a lawsuit.
Ruby Brower admits that in her two months on the job, she has yet to visit a business that was in full compliance with the A.D.A.
“I have never been to a business that did not have an A.D.A. problem,” Brower said.
While nobody but nobody is in compliance, nobody seems to care—or at least—care as much as Brower who now wears a “badge” that labels her an A.D.A. Enforcement Agent. “Everything is legal, I’m not extorting, I am enforcing a law, okay,” said Brower.
Earlier this week, News Center 16 spoke with some in the business community who said that Brower’s visits left them with the impression that if they didn’t hire the NAACB as an A.D.A. compliance consultant that the group would sue their business in federal court over alleged A.D.A. violations.
“I never said you have to hire my services,” said Brower. “You can do it by yourself, and I’ve said that in the beginning, you can hire your own lawyer, you can hire your own builder, you can hire your own people, only thing that we want you to do is become A.D.A. compliant.”
A similar approach toward enforcing the A.D.A. has been going on in California for years. “Unfortunately, everything on the coasts works its way toward the heartland,” said the Regional Director of the NAACB, D. Terry Oberloh. “California has over $1 billion in (A.D.A.) suits last year.”
Oberloh went on to say, “If 9,000 businesses in South Bend have to go to court to comply so be it, but that’s not my desire by any means.”
While the NAACB has been in the South Bend/ Mishawaka are now for one year, the group has filed just one lawsuit (pro se) against a Mishawaka hair salon.
“The sad thing is that people tend to get defensive before they even listen to what we're saying that we are trying to help them,” said Oberloh. “I’m so appalled as listening to people say that they felt our agent Brower came out said you have to use our services or I’ll take you to court. What I understand she said and what we train everyone to say is you have to be A.D.A. complaint or you will end up in court.”
Brower offers no apologies for her aggressive stance on the issue. “Yes I’m a law enforcer, I accept that, but I’m also that person who says you can get tax credit, you can get tax relief, we can walk you through this, you’re not on your own, we want to help you.”
At least one business owner feels that Brower has been too aggressive. That business owner has filed a harassment complaint against Brower with the South Bend Police.
Disabled advocacy group responds to critics
“I never said you have to hire my services,” said Brower.
http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Disabled_advocacy__group_responds_to_critics__128038538.html
“If 9,000 businesses in South Bend have to go to court to comply so be it, but that’s not my desire by any means.”
Posted: 6:14 PM Aug 18, 2011
Reporter: Mark Peterson
Email Address: mpeterson@wndu.com
The South Bend area business community is being pressured like never before to comply with the A.D.A., or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“In California, they’re doing, they’re doing very well with it and they’ve moved it inland, so it’s time that it got here, took it 21 years but it is here now and we’re not going away,” said Ruby Brower with the National Advocacy for A.D.A. Compliant Businesses (NAACB).
Earlier this week, News Center 16 talked to some business owners who were upset with the tactics of the advocacy group.
Today, two members of the local NAACB chapter offered comments in rebuttal.
The NAACB has been going door to door—business to business—citing alleged A.D.A. violations on forms that “guarantee” a lawsuit.
Ruby Brower admits that in her two months on the job, she has yet to visit a business that was in full compliance with the A.D.A.
“I have never been to a business that did not have an A.D.A. problem,” Brower said.
While nobody but nobody is in compliance, nobody seems to care—or at least—care as much as Brower who now wears a “badge” that labels her an A.D.A. Enforcement Agent. “Everything is legal, I’m not extorting, I am enforcing a law, okay,” said Brower.
Earlier this week, News Center 16 spoke with some in the business community who said that Brower’s visits left them with the impression that if they didn’t hire the NAACB as an A.D.A. compliance consultant that the group would sue their business in federal court over alleged A.D.A. violations.
“I never said you have to hire my services,” said Brower. “You can do it by yourself, and I’ve said that in the beginning, you can hire your own lawyer, you can hire your own builder, you can hire your own people, only thing that we want you to do is become A.D.A. compliant.”
A similar approach toward enforcing the A.D.A. has been going on in California for years. “Unfortunately, everything on the coasts works its way toward the heartland,” said the Regional Director of the NAACB, D. Terry Oberloh. “California has over $1 billion in (A.D.A.) suits last year.”
Oberloh went on to say, “If 9,000 businesses in South Bend have to go to court to comply so be it, but that’s not my desire by any means.”
While the NAACB has been in the South Bend/ Mishawaka are now for one year, the group has filed just one lawsuit (pro se) against a Mishawaka hair salon.
“The sad thing is that people tend to get defensive before they even listen to what we're saying that we are trying to help them,” said Oberloh. “I’m so appalled as listening to people say that they felt our agent Brower came out said you have to use our services or I’ll take you to court. What I understand she said and what we train everyone to say is you have to be A.D.A. complaint or you will end up in court.”
Brower offers no apologies for her aggressive stance on the issue. “Yes I’m a law enforcer, I accept that, but I’m also that person who says you can get tax credit, you can get tax relief, we can walk you through this, you’re not on your own, we want to help you.”
At least one business owner feels that Brower has been too aggressive. That business owner has filed a harassment complaint against Brower with the South Bend Police.
