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SAWHORSE
New law proposed to help prevent ADA lawsuits
http://blog.sfgate.com/cityinsider/2011/09/27/new-law-proposed-to-help-prevent-ada-lawsuits/
In a quest to prevent more small businesses from being hit with Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits because their shops, restaurants and offices aren’t accessible, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu plans to introduce legislation today that would require commercial landlords to bring all ground-floor entrances and exits into compliance with whatever access laws already are on the books at the time a new lease is signed or an existing one is renewed.
The mandate would begin in October 2012.
In addition, property owners would have to tell the small business owners that they must abide by ADA requirements on their own, such as assuring that their aisles and bathrooms are accessible.
The proposal also would let small self-service restaurants and retail coffee stores whose operating permits cap the size of their premises to exclude from the calculation the additional square footage needed to make the property ADA compliant.
As for the city’s role, any building permits required to complete the work would be expedited.
The proposal comes amid a flurry of ADA lawsuits filed against businesses by people with disabilities and others seeking physical changes to the businesses to make them accessible.
http://blog.sfgate.com/cityinsider/2011/09/27/new-law-proposed-to-help-prevent-ada-lawsuits/
In a quest to prevent more small businesses from being hit with Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuits because their shops, restaurants and offices aren’t accessible, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu plans to introduce legislation today that would require commercial landlords to bring all ground-floor entrances and exits into compliance with whatever access laws already are on the books at the time a new lease is signed or an existing one is renewed.
The mandate would begin in October 2012.
In addition, property owners would have to tell the small business owners that they must abide by ADA requirements on their own, such as assuring that their aisles and bathrooms are accessible.
The proposal also would let small self-service restaurants and retail coffee stores whose operating permits cap the size of their premises to exclude from the calculation the additional square footage needed to make the property ADA compliant.
As for the city’s role, any building permits required to complete the work would be expedited.
The proposal comes amid a flurry of ADA lawsuits filed against businesses by people with disabilities and others seeking physical changes to the businesses to make them accessible.