OTHER-2023-023-2022 Annual Report for Orange County’s CDBG-CV Grant

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center. Especially if the project is being accomplished largely with volunteer labor, it' s important that they think about accessibility. The old entrances to a neighborhood park may have several steps up from the street, for instance : accessible entrances need to be designed that don 't take away from the traditional look and feel of the park, and still make it easy for people with disabilities to enjoy the space . Don 't forget to solicit help from people with disabilities to help with these projects . Gettheir stakeholdership by getting them to participate in these projects . They are their public spaces , too . • When an organization , institution , or agency that provides services or education is moving or .renovating its facility. A move sari be one to a more accessible location and building. A renovation can include accessibility accommodations . • When there are complaints about lack of access: For non-federally funded buildings, there are not usually ADA inspections . Often, someone must file a complaint in order for ADA to be enforced . If you 're connected to an organization that's getting complaints because it's not fully accessible, it ' s to your advantage to do something about those complaints before someone calls the Department of Justice. If you 're an advocate or a concerned party — or a person with disabilities who knows about the problem, you can save everyone a huge amount of trouble by suggesting or brokering reasonable accommodations . II. WHO SHOULD ENSURE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES `? • People with disabilities themselves . People with disabilities have often been incredible self-advocates. They can demonstrate how lack of accessibility affects them and speak eloquently about their experiences . As participants in planning the design and construction of new buildings and facilities , they can bring their experiences to bear to make projects as accessible and usable as possible . . • Organizations concerned with disability rights . k Besides the fact that ensuring access is one of the reasons these organizations exist, the folks who staff them — often themselves people with disabilities — know the political and the architectural territory, as well as the laws concerning accessibility : • Legislators and other public officials . Legislators and other public officials can craft laws and policies that ensure not only access for people with disabilities but raise consciousness about their issues . • Enforcing agencies . The Department of Justice (DOJ) and other agencies concerned with enforcing all or part of ADA can do more than simply respond to complaints . DOJ, for instance, conducted a survey of state and local governments to determine whether they were in compliance with the law, and then worked with those that were not to draft agreements about how they were going to reach compliance . • Employers . It makes sense for employers to make sure they can hire the best person available . Making their workplaces accessible allows them to do just that, without having to think about accommodation if that person happens to have A disability. • Educators . Educators, by and large, care about learners , and want them to do well. .Accessibility is not only the law, but it vastly increases the chances that learners with disabilities of all kinds will be successful . • Organizations that provide public services . These organizations are obliged to be accessible, but they also often act as advocates for participants . Moreover, being as accessible as possible reflects the value that many of them put on diversity, equity, human rights ; and fairness . • The court system , when necessary . When an individual or enforcement agency can 't come to a satisfactory agreement about accommodation, a court may have to settle the dispute according to the law . • Architects and planners . Architects and planners can . incorporate accessibility into all their designs if they ' re aware of the issue and attentive to the needs of people with disabilities. . • Developers . It' s to the advantage of a developer to consider accessibility for a number of reasons . First, it makes economic sense to build it in to begin. with, since it' s likely to be less expensive than trying to make over a building or facility later . Second, it increases the value of the project, as well as increasing the number of people who ' ll be able. to use it as residents, customers; or however the project is intended. And finally, the developer can get a tax credit for part of the expense associated with creating accessibility.