Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) mandates that buildings and facilities that are designed, built, or funded with federal money be accessible to people with disabilities.
The ADA and Parking
Accessible parking is a common feature in parking lots—and a common topic in questions posed on the Northeast ADA Center hotline.
The ADA and Title II Public Entities
The ADA ensures access by people with disabilities to buildings, facilities, programs, services, and activities offered by state and local governments.
State- and Territory-Based Accessibility Requirements
Learn about the relationship between federal ADA standards and state or local accessibility standards, in the context of the built environment. Also find links to accessibility-related building codes...
The ADA and Public Places
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot to say about businesses that are open to the public.
Articles
Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)
SIGNED BY: President Lyndon Johnson
SIGNED ON: August 12, 1968
SIGNIFICANCE: The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) mandates that buildings and facilities that are designed, built, or funded with fede...
The ADA and Parking
SUMMARY: Accessible parking is a common feature in parking lots—and a common topic in questions posed on the Northeast ADA Center hotline. This article explains why accessible parking matters an...
The ADA and Title II Public Entities
SUMMARY: The ADA ensures access by people with disabilities to buildings, facilities, programs, services, and activities offered by state and local governments (public entities). These include voting...
State- and Territory-Based Accessibility Requirements
SUMMARY: This article discusses the relationship between federal ADA standards and state or local accessibility standards, in the context of the built environment, that is, things like buildings, side...
The ADA and Public Places
Summary: This article focuses on businesses—stores, restaurants, salons, theaters, and more—that are open to the public. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot to...
ADA Overview
The ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, is the basis of many laws and rules that protect the civil rights of Americans who have some sort of disability. The ADA was passed in 1990 with strong...
Parking & Transportation Overview
SUMMARY: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has given us inspiration, guidance, and specific rules about parking and transportation.
Accessible Parking and Transportation Makes a Difference
T...
Buildings & Facilities Overview
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot to say about the physical objects that make up our built environment. Built environment refers to the things around us that are made by people and t...
The Spirit of the ADA and Your Business
Summary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has many regulations, and as a business owner, you may feel that you have a lot to do to meet ADA requirements. However, it may help to approach comp...
Fair Housing Act (FHA)
SIGNED BY: Lyndon Johnson (FHA), Ronald Reagan (FHAA)
SIGNED ON: 1968 (FHA); September 13, 1988 (FHAA)
SIGNIFICANCE: The original Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibited discrimination based on race, colo...
Administrative Requirements for Title II Public Entities
SUMMARY: To jumpstart and maintain their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II public entities should adhere to five administrative requirements.
To comply with the Amer...
About the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Summary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for many aspects of the built environment to be accessible to people with disabilities. The requirements for making that happen are found in th...
What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
SIGNED BY: President George H. W. Bush
SIGNED ON: July 26, 1990
SIGNIFICANCE: Protects the civil rights of people with disabilities in many ways.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) had stron...
Health Care Overview
What with Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act, nearly all health care providers must follow many rules in order to avoid discriminating against p...
Public Places Overview
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers public places. The ADA has different things to say about different types of public places. Title II of the ADA covers public places that are funded by...
About Voting Access Rights
Summary: Many different laws apply to voting rights for people with disabilities. Also, you can report voting problems.
Voting is a right of all Americans, including people with disabilities. As long...
State & Local Government Overview
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has an entire title, Title II, devoted to the accessibility of state and local governments. Title II requires that people with disabilities have equal access...
About Recreation Accessibility
SUMMARY: The ADA applies to recreational facilities, and this article explains not only why this is the case, but also why it matters. The article also helps you begin to understand the regulatio...
Ask About the ADA
Personal Mobility Devices and Charging Stations
Q: I have a motorized wheelchair that I use for my mobility. Are municipal buildings required to have charging stations in case I need to charge my wheelchair?
A: Under Title II of the Americans with...
Personal Mobility Devices and Charging Stations
Q: I have a motorized wheelchair that I use for my mobility. Are municipal buildings required to have charging stations in case I need to charge my wheelchair?
#Thanks to the ADA—NY July 20, 2020
As we approach the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, many people are celebrating how far we have come, as well as reflecting on how far we still have to go. The Northeast ADA Center is part of the ADA Nati...
Trying to Understand Web Accessibility July 13, 2023
By: Grace Fairchild
You probably already understand that many aspects of our daily lives have migrated online—for instance, you are reading this not from a printed pamphlet, but from a blo...
Blog Posts
#Thanks to the ADA—NY
As we approach the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, many people are celebrating how far we have come, as well as reflecting on how far we still have to go. The Northeast ADA Center is part of the ADA Nati...
Trying to Understand Web Accessibility
By: Grace Fairchild
You probably already understand that many aspects of our daily lives have migrated online—for instance, you are reading this not from a printed pamphlet, but from a blo...
Webinars
Access to Sports Facilities June 24, 2015
This webinar will provide an overview of the 2010 ADA Standards requirements for access to Sports Facilities. Topics covered will include Areas of indoor and outdoor sports activity, including c...
Access to Community Recreation Areas June 10, 2015
This webinar will provide an overview of the recreation areas required to be accessible under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, including: amusement rides, boating facilities, fishin...
Building & Universal Design Q & A April 22, 2015
The Northeast ADA Center staff will answer the ADA and Universal Design building accessibility questions received from stakeholders and also address the most common questions related to building...
What’s Your Plan? Barrier Removal in Title III Entities. Part 4 May 16, 2014
Part 4 of the series will discuss the remediation of the barriers to accessibility found in the site assessment process and discuss how to apply to the Barrier Removal Standard to determine if b...
Accessibility Update: Play Areas June 07, 2013
Topics covered will include: -The 2010 ADA Standards scoping requirements for play areas (i.e. when are play areas required to be accessible?) -Participants will learn about the ADA’s Program Ac...
Webinars
Access to Sports Facilities 06/24/2015-
This webinar will provide an overview of the 2010 ADA Standards requirements for access to Sports Facilities. Topics covered will include Areas of indoor and outdoor sports activity, including c...
Access to Community Recreation Areas 06/10/2015-
This webinar will provide an overview of the recreation areas required to be accessible under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, including: amusement rides, boating facilities, fishin...
Building & Universal Design Q & A 04/22/2015-
The Northeast ADA Center staff will answer the ADA and Universal Design building accessibility questions received from stakeholders and also address the most common questions related to building...
What’s Your Plan? Barrier Removal in Title III Entities. Part 4 05/16/2014-
Part 4 of the series will discuss the remediation of the barriers to accessibility found in the site assessment process and discuss how to apply to the Barrier Removal Standard to determine if b...
Accessibility Update: Play Areas 06/07/2013-
Topics covered will include: -The 2010 ADA Standards scoping requirements for play areas (i.e. when are play areas required to be accessible?) -Participants will learn about the ADA’s Program Ac...
Accessibility Update: Swimming Pools, Wading Pools and Spas 05/03/2013-
Topics covered will include: -The 2010 ADA Standards scoping requirements for pools and spas (i.e. when are pools and spas required to be accessible?) -Participants will learn about the ADA’s Pr...
News
Free Webinar - Recreation Facilities: A Refresher April 18, 2018
Thursday, May 3, 2018, 2:30 - 4:00pm ET, Presenter: Bill BottenThis session will provide a refresher on the requirements common to both the ADA and ABA for recreation facilities. The presenter will pr...
New York State Offers an Access Pass August 15, 2018
Access Pass is for NY State residents with a disability as defined in the application process. It allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites, and recreational facilities operated...
News
Free Webinar - Recreation Facilities: A Refresher 04/18/2018-
Thursday, May 3, 2018, 2:30 - 4:00pm ET, Presenter: Bill BottenThis session will provide a refresher on the requirements common to both the ADA and ABA for recreation facilities. The presenter will pr...
New York State Offers an Access Pass 08/15/2018-
Access Pass is for NY State residents with a disability as defined in the application process. It allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites, and recreational facilities operated...
Free Webinar - Transportation Facilities 06/22/2018-
Thursday, July 12th, 2018 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Accessibility standards for transportation facilities apply to the construction and alteration of transportation facilities covered by the Americans with...
Free Webinar - Recreation Snapshot Series 04/18/2018-
Join us for three 30-minute sessions presented by US Access Board Accessibility Specialist, Bill Botten.Let’s Jump In: Swimming Pools and Spas
Tuesday, April 24, 20182:00 - 2:30 PM Eastern
Thi...
US Attorney Reaches Settlements In Restaurant-Access Complaint 01/15/2020-
The US Attorney's Office for the State of Connecticut reached settlement agreements with the Market Place Kitchen & Bar of 32 Church Hill Road and with its landlord, Mesa Contractors, December 17,...
New York Passes Law Against Service Animal Fraud, Joining Other States 01/17/2018-
New York recently joined an increasing number of states that have passed laws aimed at curbing abuse of laws and regulations designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities can be accompanied by...
New Edition of the ICC A117.1 Accessibility Standard Approved 06/21/2017-
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recently approved the 2017 edition of the ICC A117.1 Standard on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. This voluntary consensus standard...
Free Webinar! What is Universal Design? 06/21/2017-
June 27, 2017, 12:30-1:00 p.m. ET
Universal Design (UD) is the design of buildings, products, communication and environments that are usable by all people. In this 30- minute session, John Salmen, Pr...
Building Code of NYS: Updated Codes Effective May 12, 2020 05/20/2020-
The Building Code of New York State (BCNYS) establishes minimum requirements for building systems using prescriptive and performance-related provisions. It is founded on broad-based principles that ma...
Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA Reaches ADA Settlement Agreement 03/19/2020-
Tufts Medical Center has committed to a number of renovations at many of its 16 buildings owned or leased by the hospital in an effort to resolve allegations that they were not accessible to people wi...
Free Webinar - Accessible Entrances, Doors, and Gates 02/21/2019-
Thursday, March 7th, 20192:30 PM EST - 4:00 PM EST
Entrances, doors, and gates are key components of access along routes and to buildings, rooms, and spaces. This session will cover scoping and techn...
U.S. Access Board Releases Animation on Sales and Service Counters 08/15/2018-
The U.S. Access Board has released an animation on accessible sales and service counters as part of its online guide to standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Archite...
Attention Albany Region CDTA Riders! 04/18/2018-
The Yang Tan Institute on Disability and Employment (YTI) at Cornell University, with support from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) has established the Transit Res...
New York State Passes Funding to Improve Accessibility of Sidewalks 05/18/2017-
A total of $112.2 million in funding has been awarded to support transportation enhancements across New York State. According to the governor's office, funding supports projects that include mul...
VA Adopts New Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment 05/18/2017-
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will adopt new accessibility standards issued by the U.S. Access Board to ensure access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) at its health care...
In Queens Courts, Unequal Access to Justice Starts at the Stairs 03/19/2020-
The wheelchair lift at the Queens Supreme Courthouse in Jamaica does not get used, but it is not broken. City and state officials cannot agree on whose responsibility it is to operate the lift on Sutp...
