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<br /> Monitoring for Section 504 Compliance
<br /> Annual Report Instructions
<br /> This report should clearly describe the reasonable steps and due diligence to assist the qualified persons with disabilities
<br /> (24 CFR Part 8) within the Community Development Block Grant(CDBG). This report should clearly describe if there
<br /> were any limitations to assist the disabled/handicap population and why. Complete this report by local government, not by
<br /> grant number,but indicate what grant numbers are active by the grantee.
<br /> BELOW YOU WILL FIND SOME OPTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS TO ENSURE THE DISABLED POPULATION IS
<br /> ASSISTED WHEN IS REQUIRED
<br /> Physical access: This means access to buildings,public spaces, and any other place a person might need to go for work,
<br /> play, education, business, services, etc. Physical access includes things like accessible routes, curb ramps, parking and
<br /> passenger loading zones,elevators,signage,entrances,and restroom accommodations.
<br /> Access to communication and information: Signs, public address systems, the Internet, telephones, and many other
<br /> communication media are oriented toward people who can hear, see and use their hands easily.Making these media
<br /> accessible to people with disabilities can take some creativity and ingenuity.
<br /> Program accessibility: People with disabilities have, in the past, often been denied access to services of various kinds
<br /> from such human services as childcare or mental health counseling to help in retail stores to entertainment—either because
<br /> of lack of physical accessibility or because of their disabilities.
<br /> Employment: Discrimination in hiring based on disability if the disability doesn't interfere with a candidate's ability to
<br /> perform the tasks of the job in question—is illegal in the U.S. and many other countries,and unfair everywhere.
<br /> Education: Everyone has a right to an education appropriate to her talents and needs. The Individuals with Disabilities
<br /> Education Act(IDEA)in the U.S.,as well as laws in many other countries,guarantee education to students with disabilities.
<br /> Community access: Everyone should have the right to fully participate in community life, including attending religious
<br /> services, dining in public restaurants, shopping, enjoying community park facilities, and the like. Even where there are no
<br /> physical barriers,people with disabilities still sometimes experience differential treatment.
<br /> In general,ADA requires that public and government facilities, cities and towns, educational institutions, employers, and
<br /> service providers make reasonable accommodations where necessary to serve people with disabilities. "Reasonable
<br /> accommodation"means making changes that don't cause unreasonable hardship to the party making them or to others that
<br /> party deals with(students,customers,employees,program participants, etc.).
<br /> I. WHEN DO YOU ENSURE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES?
<br /> • When new public facilities are being designed and/or built.Any new building used as a public facility (e.g.,
<br /> parks, sports stadiums, other public facilities) must be accessible. Minimally, the design should be functional to
<br /> accommodate people with different abilities,but good design can make accessibility total and essentially invisible.
<br /> • When there's an addition, renovation, or repair made to a public facility.This is the time to make sure that
<br /> accessibility means total accessibility.Even buildings and other facilities that fulfill all the requirements of ADA
<br /> aren't always totally usable for people with disabilities. It's important that designers, builders, and people with
<br /> disabilities themselves think about how best to provide access. If over 25%of a building is being remodeled,ADA
<br /> requires making the entire building accessible. In addition,some states have a tax incentive for owners who bring
<br /> their buildings into compliance with ADA.
<br /> • When a historic building is rehabilitated for a public use. This is an easy sell,since not only is it the law to make
<br /> such a project accessible, but the developer can get back a good bit of the money spent on accessibility
<br /> improvements through tax credits. Additionally, construction and modifications can be made so that they do not
<br /> look obvious in order to help maintain the historical look of the fagade.
<br /> • When a community group is working on improving or rehabilitating a public facility or space.A grassroots
<br /> group may be trying to bring back a neighborhood park or restore an abandoned warehouse as a community
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